


The return of the quiet wolf

by Queenofbrokendreams



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), Game of Thrones RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-12-23 02:59:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11980659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenofbrokendreams/pseuds/Queenofbrokendreams
Summary: The army of the dead is coming. There is no hope to defeed the Night King. Westeros needs a hero, a legend to united them all against their common enemy!And their is only one person that had always been truly good.Eddard Stark.They need to bring him back to life to save the world from the darkness that is coming.





	1. Winterfell

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :)  
> This is just my second fanfic and my first about Game of Thrones.  
> English is not my first language, i am from a small town in Germany.
> 
> I have always loved Ned Stark and wish they would bring him back somehow.  
> So here i am, with a fanfiction about the resurrection of Eddard Stark!  
> Hope you enjoy it
> 
> xxx

It had been a long journey to Winterfell.  
They have been on the ship for more than a week. It was cold and windy.  
Daenerys was sure she would never feel warm again. 

Right now they were on the back of their horses riding towards the enormous castle.  
Infront of her rode Jon Snow, the King in the North.  
He didn´t even seem to notice the agonizing cold, but after all he was a northman.  
He was wrapped in a fur cloak, the sigil of the Starks stiched on it. A black direwolf.  
Next to him Ser Davos, his hand. An old, but quiet clever man.  
Missandei, Tyrion, Jorah and a hundred Dothrakis behind them.

“I thought it was cold when i first visited Winterfell with my Sister and King Robert, but this is far worse!“, Tyrion Lannister uttered next to her. 

He looked even smaller than he was, sitting on a big black mare.  
But despite his height, he sat tall and proud. Confident.  
A lion. A small lion, but a lion nevertheless.

The sun already went down. The route to Winterfell seemed to be endless.  
“Will we make it before it gets dark?“, Daenerys asked shivering, stroking a snowflake from her cheek.  
Jon shook his head. “We will arrive in the middle of the night! The road is still long,“

“Are you excited to get home, Jon? To your brother and sisters?“, she asked, trying to distract herself.  
He slowed his horse down to ride beside her.  
“I honestly can´t wait! I haven´t seen Bran and Arya for years and i had only a few months with Sansa until i left for Dragonstone.“  
He looked happy, smiling widely at her.  
Daenerys couldn´t stop herself from smiling back at him.

He really was a man, this Jon Snow.  
Born a bastard, now King of the North.  
Pledged to her, Daenerys Stormborn.  
And she couldn´t have hoped for a better alligiance.

Above her she could see her two remaining dragons, Drogon and Rhaegal, making their way through the icy wind.  
She will let them land in the woods, not inside the castle walls. She couldn´t risk it.  
They obeyed her, but the northeners had never seen dragons before.  
They would fear them, they would fear her.

But she needed them to trust her.  
They should see her for what she really is.  
Not just the daughter of the Mad King, but as a woman willing to defend the north from the invasion of the dead.

“Its impressive!“, stated Jorah Mormont behind them, looking at the castle in front of them, his voice full of awe.  
And he was right. Even from a far they could see how big the castle was.  
It wasn´t anything like Dragonstone. It was not an exactly beautiful castle, the architecture was plain and grey. But it matched the snowy landscape.  
The walls seemed to be thick, indestructible!

“I once read its nearly impossible to take! Especially in winter.“, Tyrion said.  
Jon nodded, looking somewhat proud.  
“Aye! Winterfell has stood for millennias and it will still stand in thousands of years!“

Daenerys was sure he was right.  
Not even the army of the dead will cause the castle to fall.  
They could only hope that there would be people left to live in it.

“I hope its warmer inside the castle than it is outside!“, Missandei added, pulling her cloak tighter around her small body.  
Jon gave her a reassuring smile.  
“Winterfell is situated atop hot springs which will keep the castle warm even in the worst winters. It is the warmest and safest place in the whole north!“

Luckily for them, Daenerys thought.  
The cold was almost unbearable.

Suddenly Jon stopped his horse. “Halt!“  
He raised a hand, signaling them to do the same.  
Daenerys saw Jorahs hand wandering toward his sword.  
She and Missandei shared a worried look.  
What was going on?

The party was completly silent.  
No one made a move.

Then she heard it.  
A loud growl, coming towards them.

Daenerys saw Drogon and Rheagal approaching the group, ready to interfere if needed.  
Jon dismounted his horse, his face unreadable.

The crackling of branches could be heard and then a giant white wolf appeared behind a tree. His eyes were glowing red.

Daenerys thought her heart would stop.  
That beast was enourmous. Almost as big as the horse she was riding.

“Hey buddy!“, Jon called cheerfully and reached out with his hand.  
The wolf ran towards him and for a second Daenerys thought he would attack him.  
But then wolf nudged his head against Jon Snows chest in a tender, loving way.

“I missed you, Ghost!“, the King in the North said, scratching the wolfs ears.  
“This is my direwolf, Ghost!“, explained Jon.  
“I had him since i was a boy. A gift from my father!“

Tyrion remembered the direwolfs of the Stark children.  
Fearsome beast, but loyal to their family.  
Ned Stark had found them in the woods, the dead mother wolf beside them.

Daenerys tried to stop her hands from trembling. She was sure the wolf wouldn´t attack them unless he was told so, but she never has seen a beast that big.  
Now she could understand how people felt when the met her children.

“Run home, Buddy. Wake up Sansa. We will be home soon!“, Jon told the wolf, patting his back. Ghost turned around after lickings Jons hand one more time and ran towards the castle.

Jon looked after him for a few seconds before climbing up on his horse again.  
“You trained him well!“, Tyrion said, sounding impressed.  
Jon Snow smiled at the dwarf.

Hours later they finally reached the castle. The gate was opened promtly.  
The rode inside the castles court yard.  
Daenerys could see only a douzen soldiers.  
They really seemed to trust their Kings judgement of the situation.  
They bowed respectfully to their King and his guests.

“Welcome back to Winterfell!“, a soft femine voice was heard.  
Next to the soldiers stood a tall girl, with long red hair.  
She really was a beauty, Daenery noticed.  
She stood tall and proud, but her blue eyes were gently, as was her smile.  
She wore a long black dress with a golden direwolf stiched to the front and a fur cloak just like Jons.

Jon dismounted and went straight to the woman, hugging her tightly.  
Daenerys could see her relieved smile.

“This is my sister, Sansa Stark. Oldest daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and the Lady of Winterfell!“, he announced.

Daenerys took a few steps towards the two siblings and gave Lady Sansa a small smile.  
“Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Stark!“  
“You are welcome, your Grace!“, Sansa Starks voice was soft and smooth.  
She definitely knew how to handle royalty.  
“I have prepared chambers for you and there is food in the great hall!“  
Daenerys was surprised by the kindness they offered them.

Tyrion came to her side and gave Sansa a respectful nod.  
“Its nice to see you well and happy, my Lady!“  
He had told Daenerys of the forced marriage between them.  
A marriage that was never consumed and later annulied.

Sansa gave him a shy smile. “Its good to see you again, my Lord. I´m glad you are safe. You have chosen a wise man as your hand, your Grace!“  
Tyrion actually blushed, he had not expected that compliment.  
Daenerys nodded affirmative. She had chosen well indeed.


	2. Reunion of the Stark siblings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back with the second chapter  
> Thank you for leaving kudos and comments!  
> I really appreciate it :)  
> xxx

They went inside the great hall, a room that really deserved the name it was given.  
There were two big wooden tables, long enough to fit more than a hundered men.  
On the head was another table, way smaller, maybe enough for ten men.

The banners of House Stark hung from the stone walls.  
A grey direwolf on a white background, over a green escutcheon.

Candles and a fireplace illuminated the room.  
It was indeed warm and cosy within the halls of Winterfell.

“Please take a seat.“, Sansa offered gracefully, pointing at the main table.  
They all sat down, Jon in the middle, Sansa on his right side and Daenerys on his left side.  
A maid entered and brought plates of food. It smelled delicious.  
Daenerys could hear her stomach grumble.

While they ate she noticed the glances Tyrion Lannister was sending Sansa Stark.  
Once in a while she looked at him, too.  
Lowering her head instantly when she was caught.

Missandei looked at her questioningly. What was going on between the two?  
Daenerys couldn´t tell either.  
They had been married for a while, but neither of them wanted that marriage.  
Sansa Stark must have been a child when she was forced to marry Tyrion, because she couldn´t be older than eightteen yet.

She couldn´t blame him for staring at her. She was beautiful, but not like other girls.  
Her hair was like fire. Daenerys had never seen someone with hair so red.  
Her skin was like porcelain, pale but with a hint of color on her cheeks.  
Despite her height she looked fragile, but her eyes told a different story.  
They were gentle, but there was a wildness in them.

She and Jon looked nothing alike, but they had the same wildness in their veins.  
Wolf blood indeed, she thought.

“Arya and Bran are in their chambers.“, Sansa told her brother.  
“We didn´t expected you to arrive so soon. If Arya had known you would arrive at night she would have never went to sleep“  
Jon laughed loudly. Daenerys hadn´t heard him laughing that way before.  
He really was home.

When they were finished the Dothraki left the castle to set up a camp in the forest.  
Winterfell may be big, but there wasn´t enough room for all of Daenerys soldiers.  
And the rest of the Dothraki would arrive soon, as well as the Unsullied.

Jon opened the door of the great hall for Sansa, Daenerys and the others, an unusual behavior for a king.  
But Jon Snow wasn´t like any king. In fact he wasn´t like any man she had ever met.  
He had sent the few soldiers away, telling them there was no need for them to stay up during the night. They have followed his order without questioning it.

On the way to the chambers they crossed the court yard once again.  
It was snowing a lot more than before. Thick, but beautiful snowflakes.  
Daenerys watch them fall on her white dress and her silver hair.

When she was kid she has read about the winters in westeros.  
They said the winters were cold and the snow deadly.  
They never said they would be beautiful as well.

“Careful, the stairs are a bit slippery!“, Jon warned, offering Daenerys his hand.  
She hesitated for a few seconds, but then she took his warm hand and let him help her climb the stairs.

“Mylady“, Tyrion stretched out his hand as well.  
Sansa Stark gave him a grateful smile and let him escort her upstairs.  
Not that she really needed his help.  
Her steps were steady and she doesn´t seemed to be afraid to fall.  
After all she must have climped this steps thousands of times before.

They went through the long corridor in silence.  
Daenerys heard the sound of giant paws on a wooden floor and a few seconds later the white direwolf Ghost joined the group. He wagged his tail when he saw his owner.  
Jon scratched his head and Ghost stayed close by his side when they walk along the corridor.

“This one is your chamber, your Grace!“, Sansa announced kindly.  
“The one next to it is for you, Lady Missandei“  
Missandei blushed. She has never been called a lady before.  
Daenerys was grateful for the respect Lady Stark showed to her guests.  
Not everyone has treated them with the same kindness.  
It was hard for woman to get respected and accepted by men who thought they were superior.

“Ser Jorah, your room is here, right across from Queen Daenerys chamber.  
Yours is right next to Ser Jorahs chamber, Lord Varys“  
Jorah was surprised to be treated that way.  
After all her father had wanted to execute him for trading slaves.  
But maybe she didn´t know about that, or she didn´t care about old crimes, when the great war was right on their doorsteps.

Varys wasn´t surprised at all. Sansa Stark has inherited all her mothers beauty and impeccable manners, but she also had inherited her fathers political sense and knew how to treat her guests.  
Especially when they were at the brick of war.

“And this is your chamber, Lord Tyrion“, she smiled shyly at the dwarf.  
“Its your old room, from when you visited Winterfell years ago.“  
Tyrion returned her smile, it was a really nice gesture.

Jon and Sansa wished them a good night and left, Ghost right behind them.  
Daenerys saw Sansa petting her brothers wolf, when she made her way downstairs.

Then she entered her own chamber.  
It was a large room with an equally large wooden bed in the middle.  
On it at least three large fur blankets.  
A candle was burning near the window and there was a bunch of clothes on a chair in the corner of the room. Daenerys came closer to take a look.

There was light blue dress, simple, but with an incredible soft fabric.  
A blue dress, with three golden buckles on the front and beautiful golden stitches on the sides.  
A dark green dress, with golden roses stitched around the collar and a golden belt.  
The back was made of lace. It was one of the most gorgeous dresses she had ever seen.  
And a fur cloak, just like the one Sansa and Jon had, but without the direwolf stitched on it.

They must have been Sansas clothes, because they would be way to long for her, but Sansa hadn´t known that. Nevertheless she appreciated the efforts.

She undressed herself and slipped under the fur blankets on her bed.  
The long ride had exhausted her more than she thought and she was asleep almost immediately.

 

Jon was awake rather early. He haven´t slept for more than three hours.  
The sun was just beginning to rise.  
He dressed himself quickly and put on the coat Sansa had made him.  
It had been the best gift he has ever received, apart from Ghost, and he wore it with pride.

He left his chamber to go to the kitchen to inform the cook to prepare a large breakfast for his siblings and their guests. After that he would surprise Arya and Bran.

But when he went down the stairs he heard a voice he hadn´t heard since he left for the nightswatch.  
“Why didn´t you wake us, Sansa? I wanted to see him immediately!“, Aryas loud voice echoed through the court yard.  
“You needed to sleep and he did too!“, Sansa replied calm. 

Soft footsteps could be heard and seconds later they appeared in the court yard.  
Sansa was pushing Brans chair though the snow. Arya was by her side, her steps fast.  
Jon almost didn´t recognized them.

The last time he saw Bran had been weeks after his fall, while he had still been unconscious. He was tall, taller than Jon, judging by his long legs.  
Seeing his younger brother in a chair, incapable of moving his own legs hurt him even more than expected.  
He looked like father, with his long face, the dark hair.  
Even the proud, stoic facial expression matched.

And Arya. She was still a skinny little thing. A force of nature.  
Her dark hair was shorter now and she wore the outfit of a Stark soldier.  
Of course she would. Arya has never been a girl that loved wearing fancy dresses.  
Half a boy, half a wolf pup, father had always said.

“You should let him sleep for a few hours more, Arya! It had been a long ride“, Sansa suggested, but it was pointless. Once Arya Stark has set her mind, there was no going back!  
“He can sleep when he is dead!“, replied Arya subbornly.

Jon couldn´t hold back a snort.  
Aryas eyes immediately moved toward the staircase.

And then she looked at him with her familiar grey eyes and Jons eyes filled with tears.  
They stood there for a moment, frozen, just starring at eachother.

Jon was the first to move, making his way downstairs so fast he almost fell.  
Arya was there a second later, clinging onto him like her life depended on it.  
She burried her face into his shoulders to hide the tears running down her face.  
She was here.  
She was really here.  
His baby sister.  
Alive and well.

He kissed her forehead, wiping away the tears on her pale cheek.  
“Hey little sister“, he said lovingly.  
Arya smirked and punched his shoulder gently.  
“Took you long enough, big brother!“

Jon saw Sansa smiling softly.  
He let go of his sister and turned toward his brother.  
Bran gave him a small smile. He wasn´t the same boy anymore, Jon could tell.  
He knelt down before him and embraced him gently.  
Bran returned the hug lightly.

“I missed you, Bran.“, Jon told him quietly.  
“Missed you, too“, Brans voice was faint and Jon could tell something bordered him.  
After all he had this visions. Not an easy thing to deal with.

“Lets get you inside!“, Jon grabbed Brans chair and pushed it toward the great hall.  
Sansa and Arya followed them, until Sansa stopped suddenly.  
She had noticed a movement upstairs in the corridor.  
Queen Daenerys made her way downstairs with her trusted allys.

“Your Grace, my lords, my lady.“, Sansa curtsied gracefully.  
Jon smiled at their guest and gave Daenerys a respectful nod.  
Bran bowed his head as well, even Arya remembered her manners, much to her sisters´s joy.

“I hope you slept well!“, Jon said polite.  
“I did indeed.“, Daenerys replied. “It is quiet warm inside!“

Sansa gesticulated to her sister and Arya stepped forward to greet the Queen and her entrourage.  
“This is my sister Arya, the Princess of Winterfell and the youngest daughter of our father Lord Eddard Stark.“

Daenerys could clearly seen the similarity between Arya Stark and Jon Snow.  
She had the same long face and dark hair. She was skinny and small.  
But her eyes were grey, unlike the blue eyes of her sister and Jon Snows brown eyes.

“Your Grace!“, she bowed her head once again.  
“It´s a pleasure to meet you, Princess.“, Daenerys smiled at the girl.  
“Please, just call me Arya“  
She nodded. Arya Stark didn´t seemed eager to be treated like royality.

“And this is my brother Brandon Stark, the second youngest son of our house.“  
Brandon bowed his head respectfully.  
“Nice to meet you, Lord Brandon“  
Daenerys tried not to stare at the wooden chair he sat in.  
She had been told that Jons younger brother couldn´t walk, but seeing it with her own eyes was different.

“Will you join us for breakfast?“, Sansa asked her, courteous as always.  
Daenerys agreed and they made their way to the great hall.

Bran took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to tell Jon, his sisters and the others. They had to know. They had to know about the true parentage of Jon.

Aegon Targaryen


	3. The tower of joy

“I have to tell you something, All of you!“, Bran said as soon as they had finished eating.  
Jon looked surprised for a moment, but he recovered quickly.  
He looked at one of the guard: “Please leave us for a moment and make sure we are not interupted!“  
The guards left the room and closed the door behind them.

“Did you had a vision, Bran?“, Jon asked.   
Sansa has tried to explain him what it meant the Bran was now the three-eyed Raven, but he honestly couldn´t follow.  
All he knew was that Bran could see things that has happened in the past and things that were happening right now.

“Not now, No!“, Bran answered.   
“I saw something that has happened long ago in the past.   
It is really important that you all know about this.“

Daenerys shared a look with Tyrion.   
He too didn´t seem to understand what was going on.   
Hopefully they would be smarter in a few minutes.

“Okay“, Jon hesitated for moment, unsure what to make of his brothers behaviour.  
Sansa and Arya seemeed confused too.  
“What did you see Bran?“, Sansa asked calm and gentle.

“I think its easy if i just show you what i saw.“, Bran said, his eyes turned white and he gave a wave with his right hand.

When Daenerys opened her eyes again the great hall was gone.   
She was standing on a field, next to her a grey big tower.  
“I don´t understand!“, Jorah muttered next to her nervously.  
They were all there, standing before the old tower.  
Jon, Sansa, Arya, Missandei, Ser Davos, Lord Varys, Jorah and Tyrion Lannister.

Bran Stark looked at the tower, his back turned to the others.  
“Bran you can walk!“, Sansa stated overwhelmed, her voice full of hope.  
Bran turned toward his sister.  
He had been right, Jon thought. Bran was larger than him, as large as father.  
“Only in visions“, Bran corrected.   
Daenerys heard the grief in his voice.

“Look!“, Bran pointed at something behind them.  
They turned around to see a man running towards them, a bloody sword in his hand.  
Behind him they could see the bodys of dead or injured men, lying in the bloodstained grass, unmoving.  
“Who is this?“, Tyrion asked, trying to take a look at the mans face, but he was to far away. Bran didn´t answered and kept looking at the man rushing towards the group.

Jon couldn´t tell why, but he was sure he knew that man.  
The way he walked seemed familiar to him.  
“I-“, stuttered Sansa. “I know him. I´m sure of it!“  
“I do too!“, Arya stated quietly.

When the man was only twenty meters away, Jon recognized him.  
He felt like he couldn´t breath. He never thought he would see him again.  
“Father!“, Sansa cried out, she wanted to rush toward the man, hugging him and never letting go again. Arya grabbed her arm, pulling her back.  
“He can´t see or hear you, Sansa.“, she said with tears in her eyes. “This is the past.“

Jon felt Daenerys small hand touching his arm.   
He blinked the tears away and gave her a reassuring smile.  
But she saw he was not okay. After all he just saw his dead father again.

Lord Eddard Stark looked different from what she had imagined.  
He was a tall man, way taller than Jon and even taller than Jorah.  
His dark hair was shoulderlong, his grey eyes, Aryas eyes, pained.  
He was dressed in a simple leather armor  
He couldn´t be older than twentyfive.  
She could hear his wheezing breath.

“He is hurt!“, Sansa said, tears running down her face.  
Her father was now right infront of them. Sansa streched out her hand to touch him, but her hand went right through him.   
Sansa sobbed loudly, falling on her knees.  
Arya kneeled down beside her, gently rubbing her back.  
Jon rushed to his sisters, gathering them in his arms.

Sansa was right, Tyrion noticed.   
Ned Stark was clentching his heavily bleeding side, his steps unsteady.  
He had to stop for a few seconds, trying to catch his breath.  
Jon wanted to reach out and support his injured father but he couldn´t.

“If i didn´t know better, i would say he died from that wound.“, Davos stated.  
The cut seemed to be deep and the amount of blood seeping out of the wound was enormous. And there was no one near to help the injured man.

Ned Stark staggered forward, swaying on his feets.  
He made it to the stairs leading up to the tower, leaning on his sword when he climped the staircase.  
Arya saw the sweat on her fathers face, the pained breath and the blood dropping on the stoney stairs.

“We have to follow him“, Bran said, his voice and face completly emotionless.  
After all he had seen this scene before, Tyrion thought.  
Tyrion gently grabbed Sansa Starks cold hand and helped her rise.  
Jon pulled Arya to her feets and they followed Ned Stark up the stairs.

With his last strength Ned Stark pushed the door open.  
The smell of blood let Daenerys retch.  
There was blood everywhere.  
The white bed, standing in the middle of the room was completly covered in red.

“Ned? Is that you?“

Jon winced, as well as the others.   
They hadn´t noticed the young woman, laying on the bed in a bloodstained white dress.  
Ned Stark let his sword fall to the floor, making his way to the dying woman.

And then it hit them. Jon gasped when he noticed the similarity between Ned Stark and the woman. The same dark hair, the same long, pale face.  
The Stark features.

“Aunt Lyanna?“, it didn´t seem to be a question, merely a fact Arya was stating.  
Her father has always told her she looked like her aunt.  
They had the same hair and the same eyes.

“Lyanna!“, Ned staggered to her side, dropping on his knees.  
Lyanna Stark turned her face to look at her brother.  
She was sickly pale and sweat-stained.  
“Is that really you?“, she streched out her trembling hand and her brother took it.  
“You´re not a dream?“

She was dying, Daenerys thought. So much blood.   
There was no way anybody would survive that.  
Of course she had heard the story how her brother Raegar kidnapped Lyanna Stark,   
how he raped the young woman.

“No i´m not a dream. I am right here!“, they could see the tears in his eyes.  
“I missed you big brother.“, her voice was faint, so weak.  
“I have missed you, too.“  
Jon closed his eyes. He couldn´t stand seeing the pain in his fathers eyes.  
He had loved his sister dearly, everyone could see that now.  
He shuddered at the thought finding his little sister in a pool of blood, not being able to do anything.  
If it were Arya or Sansa instead he would surely go mad.

“I want to be brave.“, Lyanna cried.   
Ned stroke her cheeks gently, wiping her tears away.  
“You are!“, he said fondly.  
“No i´m not. I don´t want to die“

Nobody wants to die, Jorah thought.  
Thats why he flet from Westeros.  
Thats why Eddard Stark pleaded guilty of treason, even though he was telling the truth.  
The will to live makes men do strange things.

“You´re not going to die“, promised her brother.  
A promise, they all know, he couldn´t keep.

“I guess thats why he always told us not to give promises when we were not sure if we could keep them“, Arya said quietly.  
Jon nodded. He remembered how important it was to his father that they all followed this advice. And now they knew why.  
Because he couldn´t keep his promise.  
His sister died anyway.

“Get her some water! Is there a maester?“, Ned Stark yelled, the panic clear in his voice when he looked at the ammount of blood on his sisters stomach and between her legs.  
The small woman in the corner looked down, her lips trembling.  
Tyrion could see that she knew that there was nothing they could do for Lyanna Stark, even thought her brother could not accept this.

“No, Ned! Listen to me!“, Lyanna pleaded, her voice now louder.  
He turned to look at his little sister again, tears running down his face.  
“He didn´t kidnapped me. He loved me and i loved him.  
We got married in Dorne“

“What?“, Daenerys whispered bewildered.   
They were talking about Rhaegar, her brother.  
It all made sence now. The way Ser Barristan talked about him, so differently from what other said about him.

He had never been a rapist.  
Roberts Rebellion was based on a lie!

Bran could see the realization in all of their faces.  
Jon was confused. If Lyanna had loved Rhaegar why hadn´t father just told Robert Baratheon that?  
What was the point of keeping this a secret?  
Rhaegar was already dead.

Tyrion looked at the blood puddle between Lyannas legs.  
And then it hit him.  
Lyanna Stark had just given birth.

“His name is Aegon Targaryen.“, Lyanna whispered into her brothers ear.  
Ned Stark opened his mouth to replie but not a single word came out.  
It was clear that he was just as shocked as the rest of them.

“Who?“, Sansa whispered, but Arya saw she was beginning to understand.  
Lyanna had born a child, a boy.  
The son of Rhaegar Targaryen.

“If Robert finds out, he will kill him. You know he will.“  
Tyrion had to agree with her.   
Robert Baratheon has loved Lyanna Stark, more than anything.  
And even seven Kingdoms could not fill the hole she had left in his heart.  
Robert would have never believed Ned Stark that Lyanna had loved Rhaegar.  
He would have killed the boy.

“You have to protect him. Promise me, Ned. Promise me!“  
The cry of a baby let them flinch.  
Another woman made her way to the bed, a whimpering bundle in her arms.

“Is that –“, Daenery asked, already knowing the answer.  
She wasn´t the true heir to the iron throne.

The woman placed the bundle into Ned Starks bloody arms.  
The crying stopped instantly.  
Ned Stark leaned closer to look at the boy.  
Shock, but also awe clear on his face.

“Promise me. Promise me, Ned!“, pleaded Lyanna Stark with her dying breath.  
Arya felt a tear falling down on her cheek.  
Ned Stark looked at his sobbing little sister.  
Daenerys was sure she would never forget the pain in his eyes.  
“I promise!“  
Lyanna looked relieved and gave her brother a weak smile.  
Then she closed her eyes and draw a last breath before she went completely limp.

Sansa weeped against her sisters shoulder.  
Tyrion, Daenerys and Jon stepped forward to take a look at the boy.  
Ned Stark gently layed the boy down to cradle his dead sister in his arms.

Aegon Targaryen wasn´t crying.  
He had his mothers dark hair and the same pale skincolor.  
And his eyes.  
They were brown.  
Just like Jon Snows eyes.

The realization came quick.   
Jon staggered backwards, shaking his head frantically.  
No, no!   
This could not be true.  
He was the son of Lord Eddard Stark.  
He was a Stark, not a Targaryen!

He shared a look with Daenerys Targaryen.  
She looked just as shocked as him, maybe even more.  
Oh god!  
She was his aunt!  
He had sex with his own aunt.

Ned Stark was not his father!

“Your name is Aegon Targaryen.“, stated Bran emotionless.  
“You are the true heir to the iron throne. You are not a Stark, you are a Targaryen“

Jon felt like he couldn´t breath.  
His entire world crumpled at his feets.  
His entire life he thought he was a bastard.  
But he didn´t mind.  
It was better to be the bastard of the honorable Lord Eddard Stark, than to be the trueborn Son of any other Lord in Westeros!

“Shut up!“, yelled Arya raging. She had a murderous look in her eyes.  
“I don´t care who is father is! He is my brother and yours too!“  
If looks could kill, Brandon Stark would be laying on the floor already.

“Arya is right.“, Sansa said softly.   
She went toward Jon and gently touched his arm.  
“I doesn´t matter that father isn´t your real father.   
He raised you, he loved you, just like he loved us.  
You are our brother, he is still your father and you are a Stark!“  
She hugged her shaking brother. Cousin.

“He lied to you.“, Daenerys said to Jon, anger in her voice.  
“Your father, no, your uncle tried to have me killed to get you, my nephew,   
on the iron throne!“  
Tyrion could see the hurt in Jons face.  
He knew that wasn´t true, but Daenerys didn´t.  
Ned Stark would never kill an innocent girl.

“Liar!“, Arya screamed.   
Sansa and Ser Davos had to hold her back before she could attack Daenerys.  
“How dare you?! You dont know my father!   
Jon is my brother, he is my family and not yours!“

Tyrion couldn´t see Jons face because he had turned around to look at his sobbing father, uncle, who held the dead body of his aunt, mother, in his arms.  
“I promise. I promise, Lyanna“, whispered Ned Stark between sobs.

“I know what your father has done!“, Daenerys yelled furious.  
“He was the usurpers dog! He helped to kill my father, he helped to kill my brother and he wanted to kill me too!“

“I must respectfully disagree, your Grace.“, Varys spoke for the first time.  
“I was there when King Robert gave the order to kill you and your unborn child.  
Lord Stark spoke sharply against it.   
He and King Robert fought and Lord Stark told him that he can get himself another Hand, because he would not allow the murder of an innocent girl.“

Daenerys was silent now, but Bran could see that she wasn´t convinced.  
“He saved your life.“, he stated calm.  
Daenerys snorted humorless. No he didn´t.  
He was the usurpers dog and no one could convince her otherwise.

“I can show you.“ Brandon Stark waved his hand all went black again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
> I don´t think it is possible for Bran to get the others into the vision, but i thought i would be perfect to let them see it,   
> instead of just telling them :)
> 
> I will update in a few days :)  
> xxx


	4. The wily Lion and the angry Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank your for the kudos and the nice comments!  
> It means so much to me  
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter :)  
> xxx

When they opened their eyes again the tower and the green grass was gone.  
Instead they were standing in a throne room.  
Kings Landing!  
Ned Stark stood right beside them in the middle of the crowd, his face grim.  
Tyrion noticed his hands were clentched into fists.

“That was before Father found Aunt Lyanna.“, Bran explained.  
Daenerys couldn´t hold back an angry mutter when she regoniced the man sitting on the iron throne. Her throne. Her birthright.  
Robert Baratheon was way leaner, than she had expected  
The warhammer leaning right next to him.  
The hammer that had killed her brother.

The noise of heavy footsteps echoed through the whole room.  
The murmur died instantly.  
A man made his way toward the throne.  
He was wearing a golden armor with a red cape, a lion forged on his chest plate.  
Tywin Lannister.  
Behind him a giant man in silver armor, carrying a weird looking bundle.  
The mountain, Gregor Clegance.  
The people almost seemed scared of him. Many of them took a step back, lowering their heads when he passed them.

Her father didn´t, Arya noticed proudly.   
Eddard Stark had never been a man that was easy to scare.

“Your Grace.“, Tywin Lannister bowed his head just an inch.   
Almost mockingly, Jon thought.  
“I have a gift for you. May your reign be long and glorious!“  
He gestured toward the mountain and the man layed the bundle down to King Roberts feets. Tywin pulled the cover off, so they could see what was inside.

The entire room was silent as a crypt.  
“Oh my god“, whispered Tyrion, pressing his hand over his mouth.  
Daenerys gagged, trying not to throw up.  
None of them had ever witnessed something as horrible as that.

Before Roberts feets lay the body of two children, covered in blood.  
Daenerys could see the silver hair.  
It would be impossible to tell if they were boys or girls, if it weren´t for their clothes.  
Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen, the children of Rhaegar and Elia Martell.

Jon gasped. They were children, innocent children.  
And Tywin Lannister murdered them, no, he slaughtered them.

And Robert Baratheon?  
He smiled.  
Clearly pleased by the `gift´ he had received.

A movement next to them let them look away from the murdered children.  
Ned Stark made his way toward the iron thrones.  
Jon had never seen so much hatred in his fathers face.  
He looked ready to murder Tywin Lannister right where he stood.

“What have you done?“, he almost shouted.  
Tywin Lannister looked unimpressed.  
“They were a necessary causality.“, he replied impassive.  
“THEY WERE CHILDREN!“, Lord Stark yelled.

All of them flinched.  
Jon, Sansa and Arya have never heard their Father yell before.  
He had been calm and quiet.  
He always reacted reasonably, even if the situations endangered himself.

“They were Targaryens.“, Tywin voice was full of loathing.  
Daenerys wasn´t sure if it was directed to the children or to Ned Stark.  
“I have already sent men out after Queen Rhaella and Viserys Targaryen, your Grace“,  
he said to Robert. “We will get them, i promise you that.  
The Queen is carrying a child, so they will not be fast.“

They could see the shock on Neds face.  
“You can not do this, Robert! They are innocent!“

Roberts face was expressionless.  
“I can! And i will, Ned.  
Have you forgotten that Aerys burned your father alive? He killed your brother Brandon.  
His son kidnapped your sister, my betroathed!“

“No, i will never forget or forgive that. But the queen is innocent, as are they children!“,  
Ned tried to reason with his old friend, but it was pointless.  
Robert Baratheon rose from the throne.  
“I will not hear it, Ned.“  
With that he left the throne room, with him his soldiers and most of the citizens.

Tywin Lannister stepped beside Ned Stark, the mountain on his side.  
He was smiling triumphantly.  
“I have heard that the Starks seem to have a `gentle´ heart.  
And that, together with your precious honor?   
One day it will get you killed“

Sansa blinked a tear away.  
Tywin Lannister had been right.  
His gentle heart and his honor had killed him.

Ned didn´t even look at Tywin.  
“Its not about having a gentle heart. Its just about having a heart.  
And don´t you speak to me about honor! You have none“

Tyrion gasped. No one has ever dared to speak to his father that way.  
No one!  
Tywins face turned crimson, his eyes full of hatred.  
“I will personally bring you the dead Queen and her child.  
Maybe i will even carve the baby out of her, just to show it to you!“

And then all happened so fast.  
Jon saw his father drawing his sword, Ice.  
The mountain stepped between Tywin Lannister and Ned Stark.  
He, too, wore a sword which he pulled.

“Don´t!“, Daenerys heard Tyrion whisper.   
Not out of concern for his father.  
Jons hand grabbed Longclaw, but he knew he couldn´t help or protect his father.

The mountain had his own sword out just in time to meet Stark´s first thrust.  
Lord Stark was a tall man, but the mountain was the strongest man in Westeros  
He was brutal and merciless, when he answered Ned Starks blows.  
But his strength came with a price.  
He was slower.

Ned Stark was holding his own surprisingly well.  
He had grown up with soldiers and was a more than decent fighter.  
And his anger made him even better.

The mountain became visibly tired after a time, his blows now slow and uncoordinated.  
He was breathing loudly, sweat running down his face.  
His steps were uneasy and they knew he would lose the fight.

Gregor Clegance had never lost a fight before.

Ned Stark dodged the mountains thrust, letting himself fall on his knees.  
He took a swing and slit his thigh open.  
The mountain lost his balance and fell to the floor with a loud cry of pain,   
clinging his wounded leg.

Stark tossed his sword aside and leaned over his opponent.  
“Where is he?“, his voice was full of anger and hatred.

Just now the others realized that Tywin Lannister has flet the throne room.  
“Coward!“, Jon hissed furious. No one disagreed.  
Jorah Mormont couldn´t help but to be impressed by Lord Starks fighting skills.  
He knew the man was a good fighter, but he never saw someone beat Clegance before.

Clegance lost consciousness due to the blood lost.  
Ned Stark swore quietly, picked up his longsword and left the throne room briskly, never looking back.

“Where is he going?“, Sansa asked confused.  
“Is he going after Lord Tywin?“

Bran shook his head and waved his hand once again.  
When the opened their eyes again it was night.  
They were in the middle of a forrest.  
It was silent, expect for the wind and the crackle of a bonfire.

They could see a group of at least twenty soldiers dressed in Lannister armor.  
All of them where asleep.  
“The soldiers that Tywin send after Queen Rhaella.“, explained Bran.  
Behind a tree stood Eddard Stark, carefully peaking at the sleeping men.

Daenerys wondered for a moment, how he has caught up with them.  
But they were a large group, they needed to rest once in a while and they had probably fought the Targaryen army not long ago.

Lord Stark made his way toward the soldiers, careful to not make a sound.  
When he draw a dagger, Sansa grabbed her brothers arm.  
Father wouldn´t kill them in cold blood, would he?  
No, this was her father they were talking about.  
He was the most honorable man in Westeros, he wouldn´t slaughter sleeping men.

When he sneaked to the horses, Jon understood.  
He couldn´t hold back a small laugh.  
Ned Stark cut the reins that had bound the horses to a giant tree.  
They stood still for a moment, before they realized they were free.  
Then they trudged into the woods, leaving behind twenty now horseless soldiers.

“Now i understand.“, Jorah stated softly.   
“I have always wondered why they didn´t caughed your mother, your Grace.   
But they lost a lot of time, because that had to get back to King´s Landing on foot to get new horses. And by that time, you were long gone, on a ship across the narrow sea.“

Daenerys was speechless for a while, but Jorah was right.  
As was Brandon Stark.   
Eddard Stark had saved her life!

Bran waved his hand once again and they were back in the Great Hall.  
Daenerys glaced at Jon Snow, no, Aegon Targaryen.  
His face was unreadable.  
Sansa Stark whiped the tears from her face and Tyrion offered her a handkerchief which she gratefully took.  
“Why did you show us all of this, Bran?“, Arya asked curious.   
She understood the part with Jons true parentage, but the other memorys didn´t serve another purpose than to convinced Daenerys Targaryen of her Fathers good nature.

“Because i had a vision a few days ago.  
I saw Jon and Queen Daenerys riding the two remaining Dragons into the war against the army of the dead and the Nightking.   
I saw the Tully army and the riders of the vale riding into battle. Thousands of them.  
I saw a fleet of Greyjoy ships attacking the dead from the coast.

I saw the northern army, the biggest army Westeros has ever seen.  
House Mormont, House Cerwyn, House Dustin , House Flint, House Glover, House Hornwood, House Karstark, House Reed, House Ryswell and House Tallhart.  
All of them, united against our common enemy!

I saw the banner right on the front!  
The banner of our house, the direwolf of House Stark.  
And i saw the man that was leading them.  
Our Father!

And i believe we can bring him back!“


	5. The sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the nice comments.  
> I really appreciate it :)

The whole room exploded in shouting, everyone was talking at the same time.  
Jon couldn´t understand a single word.  
“Calm down!“, he almost yelled, rising from his chair.  
Finally they stopped talking and looked at him.

He turned around to face his brother Bran.  
“Are you sure? Are you sure it really was Father?“  
He had to know.  
Bran simply nodded. He knew what he saw and it had been his Father.

“But he is dead.“, Sansa sounded sad, so sad.  
“I was there when they chopped his head off. I saw him die!  
They showed me his head on a spike“  
Tyrion laid a comforting hand on her shaking shoulders.  
To one should witness the death of their own Father.

“I am sure we can bring him back. “, Bran said calmly  
“We need to bring him back or we are all lost.  
Not all Nothern familys support Jon, but they all would support father.  
We all know how loved he was. He was their hero, their leader!  
We need every help we can get!  
And we know someone who is able to perfome such magic.“

Daenerys frowned. It sounded like Brandon Stark was suggesting blood magic.  
She has not had any good experiences with it.

Davos knew what Bran was trying to tell them. They needed a witch.  
The red woman, Lady Melisandre.  
After all she had brought Jon Snow back.  
Maybe she could do it again!

“The red priestess is already on her way to Winterfell! She will arrive soon“,  
Bran announced without any emotions.  
Jon shared a look with Ser Davos.  
How did she know she was needed here?  
Bran must have noticed the glances between Jon and Davos  
“She saw the vision too. In the flames!“

“I mean, she brought Jon back, maybe she can bring father back too.“,  
Sansa said full of hope. Maybe everything would be fine, when father was back.  
It could never be like it had been before, with Mother, Robb and Rickon back,  
but they could try to start again.  
As a family!

“But Lord Stark had been dead for years.“, Daenerys interjected.  
“How can she bring him back when there is nothing left of him expect bones?  
She didn´t wanted to destroy their hopes of seeing their beloved father again, but there was still a chance that the red priestess couldn´t bring him back.

“I saw what i saw! And his bones are here in Winterfell.“, Bran answered stubborn.  
Right now he reminded Daenerys of his sister Arya.  
Unyielding, pigheaded.  
“Why would they show me this, if there is no hope of bringing father back?“

No one knew an answer.

Daenerys realized Bran Stark had shown her this visions, because he had been afraid she would try to prevent the resurrection.  
She would never do that, now.  
She wouldn´t rob the Starks their chance of happiness!

Sansa looked at her brother, waiting for him to announce his decision.  
Jon cleared his throat.  
“We have nothing to lose if we try.  
So we will try and hope for the best.“

Varys saw the hopefull expression in the faces of the Stark children, even Lord Tyrion and Ser Davos seemed to hope the resurraction would work.  
He shared the same hope.  
Eddard Stark had been a leader.  
A once in a lifetime man, a soldier amongst Kings.  
He knew the North better than anyone.  
Only he could unite them against there common enemy.  
House Tully and House Arryn would follow him as well.

It was decided!  
They would wait for Lady Melisandre and hope for the best.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the sun began to set again, Daenerys had settled down in the court yard,  
watching the snow fall down.  
It was so quiet, so peaceful.  
Like no harm could come to them here in Winterfell.  
But the all knew that wasn´t true.

The army of the dead was on their way.  
And Winterfell would be one of the first castles they would reach.

She heard soft footsteps approaching and saw a woman making her way toward the snow, the long red hair unmistakably. Sansa Stark.  
“Your Grace“, she was courteous as always, bowing her head gracefully.  
“I was just about to visit the crypts of Winterfell.  
I fear its a bit macabre, but maybe you would like to join me?“

Daenerys could see Sansa expected her to decline, but if she wanted to be their Queen she needed to show interest in their culture.  
So she nodded and followed Sansa to a stairway.

To the right and the left stood two giant wolf sculptures, guarding the entry.  
Sansa grabbed two burning torches and handed one to Daenerys.  
Then she made her way downstairs and Daenerys followed her, trying to not show her discomfort.

It was cold.  
Daenerys shuddered slightly.  
The crypt was terrifying. It stank terrible.

“Look.“, Sansa pointed at the Statues, hundreds of them.  
“These are my anchestors. Every Lord of Winterfell is buried here.“  
They walked past the statues, deeper into the crypt.

Daenerys noticed all Stark´s seemed to share the same features.  
All of them were tall and they had the same long faces.  
Some of them even had a wolf, lying in front of their feets.  
Normal wolf, not direwolfs.  
She needed to ask Sansa about that later.

“This is my Grandfather Rickard Stark.“, she pointed at the statue infront of them.  
He was wearing an armor and had shoulderlong hair and a bushy beard.  
She could see the resemblance between young Eddard Stark and his father.  
The same grim, stoic expression. The proud posture.

She had to look away after a while.  
She couldn´t stand looking at the man her father had burned alive.  
She wondered if his remains were returned to his family.  
If there had been anything left of him.  
Probably not.

“This is my uncle, Brandon Stark. My fathers older brother.  
He was supposed to be Lord of Winterfell and was bethroated to my mother,  
Catlyn Tully. But he died in King´s Landing, trying to save his father.“

That was a nice way to say he strangled himself to death, trying to save his burning father, Daenerys thought.  
Her father had brought the Stark´s so much pain and grief,  
she had to do better!

“My aunt Lyanna.“, Sansa said quietly, gently touching the arm of the statue.  
They were silent for a moment.  
“She was much prettier than that.“, Daenerys noticed.  
It was true. Her face had not looked like this.  
She hadn´t looked so grim, even on her death bed.  
Sansa nodded approvingly.

She turned around to look at the Statue next to Lyanna.  
Daenerys knew immediately who it was.  
“My father, Eddard Stark.“ Sansa blinked a tear away. It still hurts.  
The death of her father had been the beginning of the downfall for the Stark family.  
None of this would have happened if Joffrey hadn´t called for his head.

Eddard Stark stood tall and proud. He looked just like his father Rickard.  
The same stoic expression, even the age seemed to fit.  
He held a long sword in his hand.  
Daenerys recognized it as the same sword she had seen in the visions. Ice.

“When he was still alive i didn´t appriciate it to have such a loving father.  
I thought it was normal, to be so loved and cared for.  
He brought us gifts, he played with us, he took us to tornaments.  
He even got Arya a fighting teacher.“

Daenerys smiled at the young girl.  
The way she talked about her father made her wish she had had such a father too.  
But she hadn´t been so lucky.

“Your Grace, Sansa“, a voice let them turn around.  
Jon Snow approached them, followed by Ser Davos and a young man Sansa recognized as the new captain of the guards, Wyl.  
She quickly wiped the tears away, not wanting to trouble her brother.

“The Lady Melisandre has arrived. We are here to gather Fathers bones.“, Jon explained.  
Daenerys saw the look he send her. He didn´t want his sister to watch, when they start dig out her fathers remains.  
She grabbed Sansas hand and gave the girl a smile.  
“Lady Sansa, i would love to see the Godswood! Could you show them to me?“  
Sansa knew what she was trying to do, but she appreciated the gesture and agreed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They had not been long in the Godswood, when a guard told them their presence was requested in the Lords room.  
They made their way upstairs in haste.

All of them were already gathered in the small room.  
Jon was there, Arya and Bran, Ser Davos, Ser Jorah, Lord Varys and Lord Tyrion,  
even Missandei.  
Beside Jon was a man Daenerys didn´t know.  
He was a bit taller than Jon with short grey hair and wrinkles around the eyes.  
“My name is Yohn Royce, your Grace.“, he introduced himself politly.  
“I am the Lord of Runestone, Bannerman to House Arryn and sworn to House Stark.“  
“It´s a pleasure to meet you, my lord.“, she answered smiling.

She recognized Lady Melisandre instantly.  
Her hair was even more red than Sansa Stark´s.  
She gave her a short nod, before she leaned over a table.  
On the table laid something, covered with a white blanket.

The remains of Lord Stark.

“How are you going to bring him back?“,  
Arya asked the red priestess.  
Melisandre looked up, an odd expression on her face.  
“I serve the Lord of Light. R´hllor fights against the army of the dead.  
He told me to bring Eddard Stark back to life, at all costs.  
It will require a lot of power, because he had been dead for so long.  
The Lord of Light asked me to give my life in order to awake him. 

And i will!“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter and i will see you soon!  
> The next chapter will be about the resurrection  
> xxx


	6. Resurrection

Lady Melisandre was ready to give her life to bring his father back.  
Jon wanted nothing more than to see him again.  
He wanted to tell him, that is doesn´t matter who his true father is.  
He had raised him, he had protected him.  
Eddard Stark would always be his father!

But could he just let someone die to get his father back?  
What kind of an example would he be?  
What would Father say about this?  
Would he be disappointed in him?  
.  
“My Lady, are you sure there is no other way?“, he asked.  
Maybe she didn´t need to die.

“What?“, Arya was furious. Didn´t he want Father back?  
“She can bring him back Jon! She can finally do something good after all the lifes she had destroyed!“ Sansa laid a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her angry sister.

She could understand both of her siblings.  
She didn´t know the Lady Melisandre, but she didn´t want her do die either.  
But on the other hand she wanted her Father, no she needed her Father,  
more than anything in the world.

“Arya, please! We all want Father back, trust me.  
But i will not let you insult our guest!“, at that moment Jon reminded her so much of their father that Arya had to look away.  
All her anger, her hatred was gone instantly.  
She suddently felt like a ten-year old again.  
“But she killed Gendry.“, she noticed how weak her voice sounded.

Jon frowned in confusion.  
“Gendry? Robert Baratheons bastard?“  
Arya looked up, equally perplexed. How did Jon know Gendry was Robert´s Bastard?  
He couldn´t have meet him, Gendry was dead.  
The witch killed him.

“He isn´t dead, Princess.“, Ser Davos said gently.  
“He escaped and went back to King´s Landing, until i asked him to follow me.  
He fought at Eastwatch with your brother.   
He should be one his way to Winterfell by now.“

Aryas face lighted up. Sansa has never seen her sister happier than at this very moment.  
Whoever this Gendry was, he made her happy.  
She was looking forward to meeting this young man.

“Ser Davos speaks the truth,“, Melisandre said emotionsless, looking at Arya.  
Arya seemed to believe them. She relaxed visibly.

“And i´m afraid there is no other way.  
But the Lord of Light will honor my sacrifice.  
If i don´t bring him back, we will all fall!“

Daenerys couldn´t see another way, as well as the others.  
Jon was silent for a moment, considering his options.  
But they had none!

So he nodded.

“What do you need, my Lady?“,   
he couldn´t look her in the eyes, so he stared at the table infront of him.   
At the blanket that was covering his fathers remains.  
How long had it been since his death?  
Six years, seven? He didn´t know.

“I need the hair of his own blood!“, Melisandre answered, grabbing a bowl.  
His children. Sansa and Arya.  
Without hesitation Sansa grabbed a streak of her beautiful red hair and pulled it out without complaining. She placed the hair in the bowl Melisandre was holding.  
Seconds later Arya placed her own dark hair into it as well as Bran.

Melisandre turned around and looked at Jon, holding the bowl infront of him.  
“I-“, he cleared his throat.  
“I´m not his son. I´m his nephew.“   
It hurts to say this word. Nephew. Uncle.

If Melisandre was surprised she didn´t show it.  
“It doesn´t matter. You are still his blood.“  
Yes, Jon thought. And he would always be his family.  
He grabbed his hair and place a dark curl inside the bowl to his sisters and his brothers hair. Yes, his sisters and his brother! Not his cousins.  
They would always be siblings.

“I need blood from the four of you.“, Melisandre uttered.  
“The same blood runs into your veins. The Stark blood.  
The blood of the wolf!“

She placed a small silver knife into Sansas small hands.  
Daenerys noticed the poor girls hands were shaking slightly.  
“Shall I-“, Arya asked gently, touching her sisters arm.  
Sansa nodded and gave Arya the knife.   
Arya was quick when she cut her sisters palm.  
Melisandre gave her the bowl and she let the blood drop into it.

Arya cut her hand on the same spot and then gave the knife to Bran, holding the bowl to catch the blood seeping out from the cut.  
Jon was the last.   
He cut his hand without hesitation. He didn´t even feel any pain.  
After all this was for his father.

Melisandre put the bowl on the tablet, next to the bones.  
She muttered a few words in a strange language they didn´t understand.  
Daenerys saw the blood inside the bowl beginning to boil.  
Smoke filled the room.  
Sansa was scared. Magic frightened her.  
She grabbed the hand of the person next to her.  
Tyrion Lannister didn´t complain. He gently squeezed her hand to calm her.

„Death is coming for everyone and everything.   
The darkness will swallow the dawn.“

This didn´t sound reassuring, Daenerys thought.  
Not at all!

„It is night in your Seven Kingdoms now,“ the red woman went on  
“but soon the sun will rise again.“   
She poured the blood over the cover, colouring it red.

Then she grabbed the knife and closed her eyes for a few seconds.  
When she opened them again she looked at Jon and Danerys. Her expression unreadable  
“Yours is the song of ice and fire!  
When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.“

Before anyone could ask her what she meant, she raised the knife to her throat.  
“For the night is dark and full of terrors!“  
And with that she stabbed the knife into her throat.

 

Someone screamed.  
Tyrion wondered if it was Sansa. Could be.  
She always had a gentle heart.

Blood spattered everywhere.   
Soaking the white blanket, covering Lord Starks remains.  
Lady Melisandres body fell to the floor.

She had been right, Varys thought. She had told him she would die in this strange country and she did.  
As would he.

They were silent for a moment.  
Jon muttered something to Ser Davos that Daenerys couldn´t understand.  
He nodded and they moved Lady Melisandres body into the corner of the room,  
covering her with a dark blanket.

Daenerys could see the trail of blood on the wooden floor.  
The smell almost made her gag.

“Did it work?“, Arya asked eagerly, looking at the blood covered blanket, expecting it to move and reveal her very much alive father. Daenerys noticed she didn´t seem to mind all the blood.

“Patience, Princess“, Davos said calm.  
“It might take some time. Your brother kept us waiting for a rather long time“  
Jon looked a little sheepisch.

For a while nothing happened.   
What if it didn´t work? What if the vision was wrong, a lie?  
Jon tried to control his panic.  
He needed to be stong, for his siblings, for his father.

He felt Daenerys look at him and gave her a small smile.  
They needed to have a talk after this.  
About them.  
About their relationship.

But before he could think about what he felt for her, Aryas gasp let him look at the table once again.  
And then he saw it.  
The blanket moved.

A hand appeared under the blanket, grabbing the edge of the table.  
They could hear loud breathing.

And then the man under the blanket raised himself up.  
The blood-stained blanket fell from his upper body and revealed the face of the former Warden of the North, Lord Eddard Stark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this Chapter :)  
> Ned is finally back!
> 
> I will update in three days, because i´m a little busy at the moment  
> xxx


	7. Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back :)  
> Sorry for the wait!  
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter.  
> See you in a few days :)  
> xxx

Ned Starks grey eyes were full of panic, Daenerys could see that.  
He looked way older than she had expected..  
He must have been in his fourties, but his closely trimmed beard was beginning to grey, making him look older than his years.

His chest was covered in scars. So many scars.  
Small ones, big ones.  
Daenerys wondered how he got them.

She could claerly see the resemblance between the Stark Children and their father.  
Arya and Bran looked like him, with their long face and the dark hair.  
Sansa may not have her fathers look, but she had his posture.  
And Jon, Jon looked exactly like Eddard Stark, except for his eyes.  
This brown eyes.

Jon shifted beside her, his eyes glued on his every much alive father.  
Ned Starks breathing was loud and hectic.  
His eyes shifted throught the room, searching for a familiar face.  
And he found them.

First he caught sight of Sansa.  
Her red hair, so much like her mother.  
When had she gotten so tall?

“Sansa?“, his voice was hoarse, like he hasn´t used it for years.  
“Father!“  
Sansa was by his side in a seconds, wrapping her arms around his trembling body.  
He could feel her tears dropping on his shoulder.

Why was she crying?

Oh god!  
Know he remembered.  
Everything came back at once, piece by piece.

Robert´s arrivial at Winterfell.  
Bran´s fall from the tower.  
He became his hand and moved to King´s Landing with his two girls.  
Jon went to the wall to join the nightswatch.  
Robert´s death!  
Treason!

Bran.  
Arya.  
Jon.

He could see them standing in the corner.  
He recognized them instantly.

Bran sat in a wooden chair and he once again remembered the moment when he got the letter informing him his little boy would never walk again. Never climb again.  
He had grown up. But something was odd. He wasn´t the happy little boy anymore.  
He looked like the weight of the whole world rest on his shoulders.

Arya was still a skinny little thing. Her hair was shorter now and she looked a lot like him. The way she did her hair, the clothes she wore.  
Like a Stark soldier.  
Half wolf pup, half boy.

Jon wasn´t a boy anymore. He was a man.  
He stood tall and proud, like the King he was born to be.  
He needed to tell him! He may not be his true father, but he sure loved him like a real father would.

He reached out with one arm, the other one still around his crying daughter.  
“Come here!“ Arya trew herself into his waiting arms and Daenerys could have sworn she saw tears in her eyes.  
Jon grabbed his brothers chair and pushed him to towards the group.  
Lord Stark let go of his daughters to pull his two remaining sons into his arms.

Jon closed his eyes. He could feel a tear falling down on his cheek.  
He was here! Father was really here!  
All would be fine.

Ned could feel their hearts beat against his chest.  
They were alive, this was not a dream. His children!  
They were real and so was he.

 

But what was happening?

The last thing he remembered was Joffrey, the bastard of the Lannister twins, calling for his head. He could still hear Sansas scream and her pleads.  
He could still see Arya on the statue of Baelor, the panic in her eyes.  
And then...  
Everything went black. He died!

How was he alive?  
This wasn´t right, he could feel it! He shouldn´t be here!

But he didn´t care.   
He was just thankfull to be here, with his children.

But not all of them were here.  
Where was his wife, his beautiful Cat?  
Where was Robb, his oldest son and Rickon, their little wild wolf pup?

“What has happened? Where is Cat? And Robb and Rickon?“

 

Daenerys stared at the frozen lake in front of her.  
The godswood was quiet and peacefull.  
She and the others except Lord Royce and the Stark children has left shortly after Ned Stark had asked about his wife and his two sons.  
They needed privacy.

She couldn´t even imagine how difficult it would be for Ned Stark to process everything that has happened.  
Waking up after years, his wife dead, his oldest son dead, his youngest son dead.  
And the army of the dead right onto his doorsteps.

And not to mention having people he had never meet living in his castle.  
Tyrion Lannister, the youngest son of Tywin Lannister who had planned the murder of Starks wife and his son.  
The brother of Cersei and Jamie Lannister, who pushed his son out of a window, because he saw the two together.

Lord Varys, who had served King Joffrey for years.  
Ser Jorah Mormont, wanted for selling slaves.

And her, Daenerys Stormborn, the daughter of the mad King.  
The man, who had burned Ned Starks father alive and had killed his older brother.  
The girl he had tried to protect from King Roberts rage, just like he protected Jon Snow, Aegon Targaryen.

She wondered if he would bend the knee to her, after everything her family had done to him.

“Do you mind if i join you?“. A voice let her flinch.  
Lord Eddard Stark stood a few meters away.  
Wrapped in a thick fur cloak he seemed even taller and broader than he already was.

She couldn´t read the emotions on his face.  
Sometimes she had the same problem with Jon Snow.  
Like father, like son.  
Or more like uncle, like nephew.

She had heard tales about the usurper´s dog.  
That he was cold, that he never smiled.  
But he obviously was not cold at all with his children, she had seen the tears in his eyes when they were reunited.  
He was still a puzzle.

And he was most certaintly not anyones dog.  
He was a wolf!

She shook her head and gestured for him to come closer.  
His steps were careful and she noticed a small limp.  
He settled down beside her.

“I´m sorry for your loss, my lord“, her voice was soft.  
Ned turned his head to look at the young woman.  
She looked like her mother. He had only met Queen Rhaella once, but Daenerys Targaryen had her small face and her gentle eyes.  
He could see she spoke the truth. She really was sorry. As was he!

“Thank you. And i´m sorry for your loss!“  
Did he mean her mother, her brother, her husband, her son or Viserion?  
She wasn´t sure!

“I´m glad your children have their father back.“  
Ned Stark actually smiled at her. So it wasn´t true. He did smile!  
“They are a wonder. Everthing they have been through, everything they have seen.  
And here they are. Stronger and wiser than ever.  
And i could not be more proud!“, she could hear the affection in his voice.  
He really did love his children!

Ned Stark stared at the snowflakes falling on the frozen lake and the trees around them.  
He had missed his home! King´s Landing had been a mistake.  
He should have never went there!

“Our maester has sent out a few ravens to the great Houses of the North.  
Some of them will arrive in the evening. I suspect there will be a feast.  
Would you like to join us?“

Jon would be there. Maybe they would get a chance to talk.  
“I will join you, my Lord.“, she nodded and gave him a polite smile.


	8. Oaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back with a new chapter :)  
> Hope you enjoy it  
> xxx

Jon could hear the muttering of the Lords and Ladys who were seated in the Great Hall.  
The letter they all had received hasn´t told them about Eddard Stark´s resurrection.  
They wouldn´t have believed it anyway.

Not all of them had made it until now, but most the Lords of the great Houses of the North were already here!  
The Manderlys, the Glovers, the Mormonts, the Cerwyns and the Hornwoods.

As was his family, except their Father. Jon was sure he was in the Godswood, praying.  
The news of the death of his wife and Robb and Rickon had hit him hard.  
Jon had never seen his father cry before.  
After his tears had dried, he had raged. He had screamed, he had cursed.  
Lannisters, Freys, Boltons, Greyjoys, Karstarks, Umbers. All of them.

Then he had sent Sansa, Arya and Bran outside to speak with Jon under four eyes.  
Jon had known that he would tell him about his true parentage.  
He had had enough time to accept that Ned Stark wasn´t his real father.  
But that didn´t mean he would call him uncle from now on.  
Eddard Stark may not have been his father by blood, but his father by heart.  
He would always be his family!  
His Father had cried for the second time after Jon has told him that.  
But now tears of joy. He hadn´t lost Jon!  
They were a family!

His siblings sat on the main table, leaving the chair in the middle for their father.  
Daenerys and the others were there as well.

When Daenerys Targaryen had entered the Great Hall all laughters had died instantly.  
She had seen the hatred in their eyes, but none of them had spoken against their King.  
She wasn´t the only one they despised.  
Tyrion Lannister received the same looks. He wasn´t sure why they hated him.  
Because he was a dwarf of because he was a Lannister.  
Probably both!

Jon saw Lord Glover and Lord Manderly moving towards him.  
They would have questions.

Jon knew that Lord Robett Glover mistrusted him.  
When he had hailed him King in the North he hadn´t done that because liked him.  
No, it was a wise strategic move, nothing more!  
And if he could, he would unname him instantly.

“I heard you bent the knee!“, there was nothing but hatred in Lord Glovers voice.  
“You bent the knee to her?“ Daenerys held his gaze without showing any emotion.  
She could see the disgust in his eyes, even through he had never met her before.  
He knew nothing about her and yet he hated her.

“Her family killed your uncle, your aunt and your grandfather and you bent the knee?  
Is this what you are? Are you a kneeler now, boy? Or just a traitorous bastard?“  
Tyrion glanced at Jon. How would he react to such an obvious insult.  
Jon Snow was a grown man, not at boy and most importantly not a damn Bastard.

“You should hold your tongue!“, Sansa said before Jon could answer. She sounded calm but Daenerys saw how she curled her hands into fists. She raised herself from the chair.  
“Speaking about traitors: Wasn´t it you who refused to aid us when we tried to took our home back from the Boltons? And after we had won, wasn´t it you who instantly bend the knee to my brother out of fear? The only traitor here are you, my Lord!  
And a coward on top of everything!“

Robett Glovers face turned red. He took a step towards the table.  
The guards grabbed their swords, but didn´t draw them yet.  
They were waiting for an order of their King.

“I will not be insulted by a little girl who knows nothing about politics and war.  
You may be a Stark, girl, but you and your bastard brother should show me some respect!  
We are an old and large house. And we are proud.  
I will not bend my knee to a little silverhaired whore. She doesn´t belong here and she is not my Queen. Just like that bastard isn´t my King anymore!“

And with that he spat infront of Jon on the wooden table.  
The room was silent as a crypt. No one said a word.  
Everyone was watching Jon Snow, waiting for him to react.  
But before he could even lift a finger a deep, angry voice echoed through the Great Hall.

“I will not allow you to speak to my children in that way, Lord Glover!“  
Lord Eddard Stark stood in the doorway, his long wrinkled face cold as ice.  
Daenerys noticed he had changed his clothes.  
He was wearing a similiar leather armor like the guards with a fur cloak around his broad shoulder. A silver direwolf stitched to the front.  
She could see he was carrying a sword.

No one moved when he made his way toward the main table.  
His heavy footsteps rang through the hall. Jon Snow´s white direwolf Ghost appeared from the shadows. His red eyes glowed in the candlelight. He didn´t make a sound.  
Together they walked infront of Lord Glover, Ghost close by Ned Starks side.  
Two wolves.  
Both of them deadly.

Tyrion was sure that poor Lord Glover was going faint along with the other Lords.  
Whispers could be heard.  
“Magic. This is dark magic!“  
“He is dead! He can´t be here. This is a lie“

They were both wrong and right at the same time, Tyrion thought.  
Yes, Ned Stark had been dead. But he was alive now!  
Thanks to the Lord of Light.

Stark stopped infront of the trembling Lord Glover, the direwolf by his side.  
An image of power and strength.  
“What kind of a trick is that?“, his voice was ridden by fears. His eyes were wide and his hand has grabbed his sword, pointing it at his liegelord.  
Jon was glad Ghost was by his fathers side. The wolf would tear Lord Glovers arm off,  
if he really tried to harm his father.

“I fear this is no trick, my Lord.“, his voice was like ice. A shiver ran down Daenerys back.  
His grey eyes held no warm. They were cold.  
“I was brought back to life by a red priestess. I don´t know why, i don´t know which part i am to play in the great war. But i know we must face this treat together.  
I am your liegelord, Lord Glover and you would do well to you remember that!  
When the dead marches south which castles will they attack first?“

Lord Glovers hand began to shake.  
His sword was only centimeters away from Ned Starks chest.  
The man didn´t seem frightened at all.  
And he wasn´t finished yet.

“Deepwood Motte will fall even before Winterfell. Before the Nightking reaches our walls there will be nothing left you! So you got to chose:  
You can either stand behind Jon and Daenerys Stormborn with her dragons or you can let your house fall. Your choice!“

Daenerys could see the fear in Lord Glovers face. There was nothing left of his anger.  
He was just scared.

“Listen to me!“, Ned Stark raised his voice. He turned around to face the Lords on the tables.  
“Winter is here. The long night is coming. And Daenerys Targaryen is willing to help us.  
Yes, her father murdered mine, but she isn´t her father, just like i am not mine!  
Together we can defeat the army of the dead!“

Nobody moved, not a sound could be heard.  
Daenerys shifted uneasy in her chair. Would they follow their liegelord?  
Would they stand together against the Nightking?  
Or would they rather die than bend the knee?

Then a young girl with dark hair and a pale face rose from one of the tables.  
She couldn´t be older than ten.  
“My name is Lyanna Mormont, my Lord. My mother named me after your sister.“  
Ned Stark nodded. He had never met this girl, but he knew her mother.  
Daenerys noticed that Ser Jorah stiffened. Was this girl his niece, cousin?

“I grew up with tales about you. Everyone on Bear island knows you to be the most honorable man in Westeros. House Mormont has stood behind House Stark for a thousand years. We will not break faith with you!  
We may not be a large House, but we are a proud one. We believe in you, Lord Stark.  
And we will follow House Stark and Daenerys Targaryen into war!“

Ned Stark knew he hadn´t won yet. House Mormont was one of the smallest houses.  
He needed all the help he could get.

A young broud man with blond hair raised himself next.  
A black moose head branded on his armor. House Hornwood. Daryn Hornwood.  
“We answered Jon Snows call to retake Winterfell. We accompanied Robb Stark when he called his banners! We stand behind Ned Stark like my father had done for decades.“  
With that he kneeled down and placed his sword infront of Ned Starks feets.

One by one every Lord in the Great Hall followed his example. All of them fell on their knees. Lowering their swornds on the ground. Even Lord Glover.  
Daenerys and Jon shared a look.  
He had done it! Ned Stark had the support of the nothern house and she had Ned Stark´s.


	9. The talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back :)  
> Sorry it took so long   
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter  
> xxx

Daenerys was watching Jon, trying to catch his attention.  
He was sitting right next to her, next to his father. Uncle. Whatever.  
Ned Stark was talking with some Lord, Daenerys couldn´t remember his name.  
“Our army is 8.000 men strong. 3000 soldiers on horseback, 2000 archers and 3000 footsoldiers.“, the man said.  
Ned Stark nodded. He needed to know how many fighting men the north had, to plan the fight against the Nightking and his army.  
Right now it didn´t look good.

“Thank you, Lord Cerwyn. Get your army ready. We are going to leave Winterfell soon.“  
Lord Cerwyn bowed his head respectfully and gave a nod to Daenerys and Jon as well.  
Then he turned around to leave, but stopped after a few meters.  
“I´m glad you are back, Lord Stark. We have weeped when we heard of your death.  
With you the North will return to glory.“  
Daenerys could see the admiration he had for his liege lord. They loved him.  
“Thank you. It means a lot to me.“, he gave Lord Cerwyn a little smile.  
It really meant a lot. They had not given up hope. They still believed in him.

“Can we talk?“, Daenerys whispered in Jons ear, while Lord Stark was greeting another Lord of a northern House she had never heard off.  
Jon nodded and raised himself from the chair. His father didn´t seem to notice and Jon didn´t want to interupt him so he gestured to his sister Sansa that he would be back soon. She just nodded and gave Daenerys a smile.

They stepped out in the court yard. It hadn´t stopped snowing.  
She followed Jon to a bench. He wiped the snow off with his gloved hand.  
They sat down next to eachother.

Jon knew why Daenerys wanted to talk to him. They hadn´t had a real talk since they had watched Bran´s visions. He could still hear what she had said about his father.  
`Usupers dog´  
`Traitor´  
Of course he had been mad at his father too. He had lied to him for years.  
He had thought he was a bastard. A motherless bastard.  
Well, he was motherless. Lyanna Stark had died giving birth to him.  
Sometimes he wondered.  
Why doesn´t he hate him?  
Ned Stark had loved his sister with all his heart.  
And yet he also loved the boy who killed her. He loved him enough to let people questioning his honor, his reputation.

Measter Aemon words echoed through his mind.  
`What is honor compared to a woman´s love?  
What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms?  
Or a brother´s smile?´

“I´m sorry about what i said about your father.“, it wasn´t easy for her to admit that she had been wrong. But when you have done or said something wrong you must admit it and be sorry. No one in history has ever choked to Death from swallowing his pride.  
She knew her pride would be her downfall if she didn´t keep it in check.  
That was the reason why she had chosen Tyrion Lannister as her hand.  
He knew her worst impulses and didn´t feed them.

“You didn´t know him.“, Jon didn´t look at her, he was starring at his feets.  
“But that doesn´t make it right.“, she hated how weak her voice sounded.  
“Many people had told me about your father. How cold he was, how he never smiled.  
How he followed his friend Robert into war without hesitation.  
How he helped kill my family. But i know that´s not true. I can see he is a good man.  
A noble man, who loves his family, who would do anything to protect those he loves.  
To protect you!“

Because Ned Stark was Jon Snow´s family. She could see that now.

Jon looked up with tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Daenerys.“, he was smiling at her.  
She gently grabbed his hand. He didn´t pull it back.

“What now? What we had-“ she hesitated, but then continued.  
“What we had. I don´t want to let this go.   
After Khal Drogo, i thought i would never find love again.   
I thought i cared for the captain of my guard back in Mereen, but when i said goodbye to him i didn´t felt a thing. And it scared me.  
I thought i have become a cold, heartless monster, unable to feel anything, except impatience to sit on the iron throne. But now everything is different.  
With you i am able to feel again. To feel love, desire, trust.“

Jon gently grabbed her chin and lifted it up. She was a Queen. She was his Queen.  
“I feel the same things. Even after Bran told us i am your nephew.  
How can something like this be wrong? How can true love be wrong?  
I think sometimes its simply meant to be. Against all odds, all expectations.  
We don´t hurt anybody by loving us. That´s the different between Cersei and Jamie Lannister and us. We don´t need to pretent. You are my Queen, you will rule Westeros.  
You will built a better world.“

She let her head rest against his chest. She could feel his heart beating.  
He was here. He was real and he loved her, just like she loved him.  
“What will your Father say about this?“, she was worried they would lose his support.  
Targaryen´s had wed brothers and sisters for centuries, but Starks didn´t.  
Jon was silent for a while, considering his fathers reaction.  
“I hope he will accept it. We don´t hurt anybody. He may not be exactly happy.  
But I love you!“  
He hugged her tightly and pressed a kiss on her silver hair. She sighs relieved.  
Maybe all would be well.

After they had won the battle she would march towards Kings Landing and take the Iron Throne. With Jon by her side. He would be her King.

 

 

The next morning Jon was up early. He was going to visit his Father in the Lord´s solar.  
They needed to discuss their battle strategy.  
Almost everyone was still asleep. The castle was quiet and dark.

He knocked at the door. He was sure his father was awake.   
He had always been an early riser. When he was a kid he used to play with him and Robb in the mornings before breakfast.  
His Father opened the door. Jon noticed he looked tired, like he hadn´t slept at all.  
“Jon.“, he seemed suprised to see him awake. Ned Stark stepped aside to let him enter.  
“You are up early.“

“Couldn´t sleep.“, Jon confessed, sitting down on a chair in front of his father´s desk.  
He had spent the night with Daenerys, but even her presence couldn´t stop the nightmares. He had dreamed of the Nightking taking Winterfell.  
He had seen his siblings coming at him as wrights, with their blue eyes.  
Even his father.

“Neither could i.“, Ned Stark said quietly, pouring them two glasses of water.  
He made his way toward the desk and just now Jon noticed he was limping heavily.  
He was clearly favouring his left leg. His face was stiff, but Jon could see he was in pain.  
He stood up and grabbed his arm to support him.  
He didn´t protested, what scared Jon only more.

Jon helped him settle down in his chair. He gave him a short thankful nod.  
“What is wrong with your leg, father?“, he asked worried.  
Ned shoke his head. “I´m fine Jon.“  
Now was not the time. They had a war to fight.  
But Jon wouldn´t just let this go. He was a stuborn as his mother.  
“You´re not.“

Ned Stark sighed.  
“It´s an old wound, nothing serious.“  
Jon was not satisfied. He knew for sure his father didn´t limb when he left Winterfell to serve as Hand of the King. “How old?“  
Ned knew Jon wouldn´t stop until he told him everything.  
“Back in Kings Landing Jamie Lannister and his followers attacked me and my men in the streets. They killed all of them. Even Jory Cassel-“  
Jon saw the grief in his fathers face and he felt the same grief.   
Jory Cassel had been a good man. A brave man.  
He had been like an older brother to him and his siblings.

“I fought with him and one of his soldiers stabbed me in the leg from behind.  
Just days later i found out that the children weren´t Robert´s. Then he died, i was imprisoned and later-“, he stopped and swallowed.  
“The wound never really healed.“ 

They were silent for a while. Each of them lost in their own thoughts.  
“Are you sure you are able to fight? Maybe you should stay-“  
“No!“, his father´s voice was loud and maybe even a bit angry.  
“I am the Warden of the North. I will lead the nothern armys into battle.  
What kind of a leader would i be when they see that i am not willing to fight for them?“  
Jon remembered he had said something similiar to Ramsey Bolton.   
He knew his father was right. He was always right.  
But he couldn´t help but worry about him.

“And i don´t need two good legs when i am sitting on a horse.“, Ned Starks voice was now gentle and calm. Jon nodded slightly.

“Speaking of the battle: Will you join our army or will you fly with Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons?“ He hadn´t met the dragons yet, but he had heard of them.  
“I will fly Rhaegal and she will fly Drogon.“, he answered.

Rhaegal. Rhaegar. It was rather fitting, Ned thought. Rhaegar´s son and heir would ride a dragon named after him. Rhaegar´s son-  
It still hurt. He wondered if Jon would someday stop calling him father.  
He knew he was being selfish, but he hoped that day would never come.

“Do you have feelings for her?“, he asked bluntly.  
Jon nearly choked on his water. He hadn´t expected that question.  
He couldn´t read his father´s facial expression at all.

“Daenerys?“ he asked thunderstruck.  
His father rolled his eyes. It was rather obvious, wasn´t it?  
He leaned forward, waiting for an answer.

“I-“, Jon stuttered. He couldn´t keep this a secret forever, could he?  
“Yes I have feelings for her. I love her father. I know it´s not right, because she is my aunt, but it don´t care. I can not act like i don´t love her.  
I know you are disappointed in me and i am so sorry. I never wanted to bring you shame, I-“  
“Jon, stop“, his voice firm. Jon felt like he was ten years old again, when he had sprinkled himself with flour to scare his siblings in the crypts of Winterfell.  
He couldn´t look at his father, afraid to see the disappointment in his grey eyes.  
“Jon, please look at me.“, his voice was gentle and when Jon looked up he saw nothing than pride in his fathers eyes. Why wasn´t he angry?

Ned Stark saw the confusion in his son´s face. Did he really think he would hate him?  
“You never brought me shame, son. You made me proud. You still do.  
The Targaryen had wed brothers and sister for thousands of years. Not out of love.  
How can i condemn love?   
Some things are meant to happen. Some things are bound to be.  
Sometimes in spite of differences, sometimes against all odds!  
Love is pulling together against all odds. It doesn´t matter if some disapprove as long as you are happy! You don´t hurt anyone by loving her“

Jon blinked a tear away. He had not expected things to turn out that way.  
He approved. He didn´t hate him.  
He stood up and hugged his father tightly.   
“Thank you father“  
Father. That word alone filled Ned with pride.  
Yes, he was his father and he would always think about Jon as his son.


	10. War strategy and a gift

Later that day Daenerys and her companions, Jon, his father and all the Lords of the northern Houses met in the Lord´s solar.  
They were standing around a large wooden table with a map of Westeros on it.

“Bran saw the Nightking and his army passing the wall.“, Ned Stark said  
Viserion, Daenerys thought bitterly. Her child, corrupted by the Nightking. Her poor boy!  
Was he scared? Could he actually feel something?  
It was her fault. If she had listened to Jon Snow, nothing would have happened to Viserion. She had killed him.

“They have already taken Mole Town. Now he marches toward the Last Hearth.  
The Umbers have forsaken their seat and are on the way to Winterfell.  
They will gain nothing by taking the castle.“  
That was the first good message in days.

“We have sent Ravens out to every castle and every village, informing them about the situation.“ But that wouldn´t be enough.  
Where would they go? The woman and the children, not able to defant thereself.  
Not all of them would reach Winterfell in time and the castle could not take in everyone.  
“Where will they go? There is not place for all of them inside the castle walls“,Daenerys asked, looking at Lord Stark. He grabbed a wood piece, shaped like a person and placed in on the map. She leaned closer to read the map. 

Bear Island. 

Of course. They can´t swim. Jon has told her that when they had met with Queen Cersei in King´s Landing.  
“Lady Mormont had been so kind to offer a save place for those how are to far away from Winterfell to reach it in time.“  
The girl stood proud, like she was much older than ten.  
“We are not large house, my lord, but Bear Island has sent out 700 soldiers and everyone of them is worth at least ten mainlanders.“ Jon couldn´t stop himself from smiling. Lyanna Mormont was right. The men she had sent to help him take back Winterfell had all made it back home alive. Every single one!

“I have heard so as well, Lady Mormont.“, Ned Stark gave her a kind smile.  
Daenerys noticed he didn´t treated the girl like a child. After all she was here with them, discussing battle strategys.

“Bran told us the Nightking split his army in three to infiltrate every bit of land.“, Jon added. 

Not a bad plan, Tyrion thought. They would be surrounded by enemys.  
Encircled!  
But they could use it to their purpose.  
He took tree wooden figures and placed them next to eachother on the map.  
One on the way to Winterfell. One left of it, the other one on the right coast.  
“The Night King and his dragon can´t be anywhere at the same time.“, he looked right into Lord Starks grey eyes. He couldn´t read his expression. 

The man was like ice.  
Cold.  
Deadly.  
Unbreakable.

Ned Stark didn´t responded, instead he gestured for him to go on.  
“I assume he will be on his way to Winterfell. It is his main goal.  
The biggest Castle in the North. Many people. Enough corpses for his army!  
He will lead the biggest army, marching straight to Winterfell.  
They will try to encircle us.  
Without him the other two armys are weaker. If we kill the White Walker everyone they turned dies with them. We need to fight at all three fronts.“

Lord Stark nodded agreeing. Lord Tyrion was right.  
“How many men do you have your Grace?“, he turned to Daenerys.  
“8.000 Unsullied and 100.000 Dothraki.“  
Tyrion could have sworn he saw something like shock in Stark´s stoic face.  
Daenerys khalasar was bigger than all armys of the North combined.

“We could send 25.000 Dothraki to the Bay of Ice, 25.000 Dothraki to the Bay of Seals.“  
Tyrion put two Dragon figures on the right side of the North, two on the left.  
“The rest, 50.000 will fight the largest army!“  
Four Dragons infront of Winterfell.  
“2.000 Unsullied to the Bay of ice, 2.000 to the Bay of Seals“  
Jon Snow handed him some wooden pieces and he placed one right and one left.  
“4.000 against the Night King“  
Two next to the four dragons.

“House Stark has 8.000 soldiers, with the rest of the nothern House we have no more than 60.000. Lord Royce is here with 10.000 men. Another 20.000 men and horses are on their way. They will be here in the fourth night.“, Jon added.  
He placed four wolfs in front of his castle and each one right and left of it.  
“40.000 against the main army and each 10.000 on the coast.  
10.000 stay here in Winterfell to protect the Castle.  
The riders of the vale will be sent where they are needed the most.“

Daenerys and Jorah shared a look. He nodded. It was a good plan.  
“What about the dragons? Should i fly with Drogon into the fight with the main army?“  
An old man she recognized as Lord Royce stepped forward.  
“I would suggest you attack to army on the left coast, Jon the army on the right coast.  
You need to be quick. Burn a way throught the wights, clear the way for the soldiers so that they can attack the white walkers. And when you finished them off-“  
He knocked the two figures on the outer edge over with a flick of his fingers.  
“You attack them from the sides, with your dragons and the remaining army.“  
He shoved all figures on the right and the left in the middle of the map, surrounding the army of the Night King. Wolves, Dragons, Dothraki, Unsullied.  
“Contemporaneous our main army will hit them at the front.“

That was all nice and well planned, Tyrion thought, but they missed a critical detail.  
The Night King had a fucking dragon!  
“What about Viserion? How do you plan to defeat him?“

“His eyes“, Daenerys voice was so silent they almost didn´t heard her.  
“The eyes are their greatest weakness“  
Ned Stark looked at her and she was sure she could see pity in his eyes.  
She was ready to sacrifice her dragon so save the north.  
That´s what makes a good ruler. The will to sacrifice everything for the greater good.  
That´s why he didn´t wanted to became King, even when they offered the throne to him after Robert had won the rebellion.  
He could never sacrifice someone he loved.  
Love is the dead of duty.

“I doubt any of us will get close enough to put a dragonglass dagger through his eye.  
But we can slow him down. If we aim for the wings with dragonglass arrows-“, Lord Royce stopped and shared a look with Ned Stark.

“He won´t die, but he cannot fly anymore.“, Ned Stark continued  
“And on the ground he is easier to attack!“

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sansa sat in front of her dressing table and brushed her long red hair.  
It had gotten so long over the last few years, it almost reaches her hips.  
She stared in the mirror. She did not look like a Stark. She never had.  
She looked like a Tully woman.  
Family, Duty, Honor.

When she was younger she loved the House of her mother more than the house of her father. She didn´t really know why, but she wanted to be somewhere else her whole life.  
Somewhere where the sun was always shining, where it was never cold.

When they have left for King´s Landing she had been so happy.  
But it turned out to be a nightmare. That kind of nightmare that makes you wake up screaming and sweating and leaves you to afraid to fall asleep again.  
She had lost everything there.  
Her father, her dreams, her childhood.

But here she was.  
Back at Winterfell.  
With her Brothers and sister. With her father.

She had survived them all.  
Joffrey, Ramsey, Littlefinger.

Not because she was a Tully.  
No!  
But because she was a Tully and a Stark.  
Yes, there was wolf blood in her. Sometimes she could feel it inside her, threatening to break through.  
Winter lives in her bones!

She smiled in the mirror.  
Yes, she was a Stark. She was her father´s oldest daughter.  
She was a wolf!

 

“What are you thinking about?“  
Arya laid on Sansa´s bed, leaving dirt from her muddy shoes all over her white bedding.  
Sansa couldn´t mind less.  
“I´m just happy.“, she answered, pinning up her hair.  
“We are home, together. Father is here.“  
She was silent for a while. When she spoke again her voice was silent and weak.  
“I don´t want him to leave, Arya. I can´t lose him.  
Not again!“

Her little sister stood up and walked toward her. She picked up a strand of her red hair that had fallen out of her updo and pinned it up again.  
“He will come back. He always come back. Do you remember when he left to fight during the Greyjoy rebellion?“ Sansa just nodded. She hadn´t been older than five.  
“He came back, didn´t he?! And Jon will be there too. They will look after one another.  
That´s what a pack does.“

Of course she was right. They were a pack.  
And Father was good fighter. He could protect himself.  
And then they would return to her!

She stood up and went to her chair, picking up the dress she would wear for the feast.  
It was a long white dress with silver stitches on the sleeves. A direwolf.  
A grey fur tippet over her shoulders.  
“It´s lovely.“, Arya said. Sansa thanked her with a small smile.  
“Let me guess: You won´t wear a dress.“  
Arya couldn´t hold back a grin.  
“Actually i will.“

She walked around the bed to pick up a dress from the floor.  
How had she missed that, Sansa thought.  
It was a white dress aswell, but so very different from her own.  
An armour. The complete upper body was wrapped in silver metal.  
On the front was a direwolf symbol.  
Just below the hips it turned into a wide fluttering dress.

“It suits you.“ It really did. Arya wasn´t like her.  
But that was okay!

Arya had dressed herself just minutes ago, when someone knocked at the door.  
“Come in!“, Sansa called out.  
The door opened and Ned Stark entered the room.

There was going to be a feast before they would rode off into war the next morning.  
Most of the people had already gathered inside the Great Hall.  
Jon was going to escort Daenerys Targaryen and he would escort his daughters.

“Are you ready, girls?“ They nodded simultaneously.  
“You two look lovely!“  
They looked so grown up. He had missed them becoming woman.  
But at least he could be here with them now!

“I have something for you.“, he pulled two small boxes out of the pocket of his cloak and gave them to his daughters.  
Sansa looked at it with her eyes wide open. When they had been little, Father had used to give them gifts even at random occasions. He just loved to spoil them.

Inside they box was a pretty silver neckless. A round pendant with a direwolf and a fish on it. The wolf was running and the fish seemed to be jumping over him.  
It was the most valueable and beautiful gift they have ever got, Arya was sure about that.  
“Turn it around.“, Father said, his voice soft.

The back of the pendant was smooth and shining.  
There was something written on it, in small black letters:

Eddard & Catelyn  
Robb  
Jon  
Sansa  
Arya  
Bran  
Rickon

Arya blinked a tear away. She would not cry!  
She loved how he had included Jon. He was her brother, he would always be.  
“It´s perfect. Thank you, father.“, Sansa threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. Arya followed her examples.  
As Lord Eddard Stark stood there, his two daughters in his arms, he was reminded once again for whom he was fighting this war.  
For his children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the new Chapter.  
> See you soon  
> xxx


	11. Into war

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry i was gone so long, but i was very busy  
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter :)  
> xxx

Daenerys could feel the gaze of the soldiers when she and Jon entered the Great Hall.  
Almost everyone was here. Tyrion was chatting with Lord Varys. Missandei was holding Greyworms hand. He was whispering something in her ear and she smiled.  
Daenerys was glad they found eachother. They could need a bit of happiness in their lifes.

Ser Jorah Mormont sat beside Lady Lyanna Mormont. Maybe they would finally talk.  
She remembered when she had asked the old bear what he prayed for. Home.  
Maybe he could proof to his cousin that he was a good man and return home someday.

She noticed that Lord Stark and his daughters weren´t here yet.  
They sat down on the main table.  
The soldiers seemed to be in cheerful mood.  
The euphoria before the battle.  
Tomorrow things would look different.

Daenerys and Jon started chatting with Tyrion, when the entire room fell silent.  
The soldiers and Lords dropped to their knees, bowing their heads.

Loud Footsteps could be heard and Lord Eddard Stark entered the Great Hall, escorting both his daughters.   
It was a beautiful picture, Daenerys thought.

Sansa Stark was beaming. She looked absolutly stunning in her white dress with silver details. Her red hair was pinned up. A single strand of hair was caught in her silver necklace. Daenerys had never notice the pendant before.

Arya Stark was smiling too. She wore a dress that looked more like an armor, but it suited her perfectly. She looked even more like her father when she was standing next to him and she was wearing the same necklace her sister had.

Ned Stark was dressed like the Stark soldiers with a brown fur cloak around his shoulders. He didn´t looked so grim anymore, standing next to his daughters.   
His eyes suddently didn´t appeared so cold anymore. 

His daughters adored him, his sons admired him.

A pefect family.  
Daenerys envied them a little.

Ned Stark signaled the Lords to rise and led his daughters to the main table.  
Polite Greetings where shared between Daenerys companions and the Starks.  
“Your Grace.“, he bowed his head respectfully.  
She gave him a warm smile.

Ned Stark grabbed the wineglass infront of him.  
“Tomorrow we will ride off.   
We will fight to the death!  
So let us enjoy this evening.“

And so they did.  
They drank , they laughted, they danced.  
Like it was their last day on the earth.

Maybe it was.

 

 

 

The next morning it was time. The sun began to rise and they would leave the castle soon.  
Every soldier had a weapon made of Dragon glass or a burning torch.   
The horses were ready.

Ned Stark could see the fear in the eyes of his men. He couldn´t blame them.  
Neither of them had ever seen a wight before.  
He was afraid, too. But fear wasn´t a bad thing.  
You can only be brave when you are afraid!

The Dothraki, the Unsullied, the nothern army and the riders of the Vale.  
All of them gathered outside the castle walls. Thousand of men.  
His children were there too with Ghost by their side.   
As well as Queen Daenerys, Lord Tyrion, Lord Varys, Ser Davos and Ser Jorah.  
Ser Davos would command the soldiers staying at Winterfell together with Ser Jorah.  
Jon and Daenerys Targaryen would fly out the next day.

Arya had wanted to come with him, but he wouldn´t allow it.   
It was to dangerous.  
He wouldn´t risk her!

 

Daenerys watched Ned Stark approaching them on his majestic white mare.  
He was dressed in a leader armor like the rest of the Northmen.  
But the was no mistaken that he was their leader.

He dismounted and gave the reins to one of the guards.  
He bowed his head respectfully at her.  
“Your Grace. I will see you one the battlefield. I wish you good fortune in the wars to come.“ He sounded calm, unnerved and unwavering.  
She smiled at him. “Thank you, my Lord. I pray for your save return.“   
She had grown to like the stoic man. She could learn a great deal from him.

He gave her companions a brief nod, before turning to his children.  
Sansa rushed into his arms, hugging him tightly. He could feel her heart beating fast.  
She was so tall, taller than her mother, almost as tall as he was.  
He pressed a kiss on her fiery red hair.   
When she let go of him she raised her chin and stood tall. So much like her mother.  
“Stay safe father.“  
“I will, love.“ Love. She could remember the last time he called her that.   
In King´s Landing when he gave her the doll.

He was a little bit surprised when Arya hugged him. She had never been that kind of girl.  
But thing have changed, time had passed. None of them was the same anymore.  
“Do you still remember what Syrio Forell had thaught you?“ He was sure she did.  
She had been so eager to learn. She had the wolfs blood.  
“Of course. Stick them with the pointy end“  
He couldn´t hold back a laugh. He ruffled her hair like he had Lyanna´s.  
“Look after your siblings.“  
“I promise“ 

“Bran“, he kneeled down to embrace his son. He had changed so much.  
He wasn´t the happy little boy anymore. He was silent, distant.  
The weight of the world was on his shoulders.  
He laid a hand on his pale cheek.  
“Take care of your sisters, will you?“ Bran nodded.  
“Be careful, father.“   
He would be. For them.

Jon was the last. His oldest son.   
Jon hugged his father thightly and felt like a little boy once again.  
He couldn´t lose him. Not again.  
Ned knew what he was thinking. He had Lyanna´s face and he had been able to read his little sister like an open book.  
“Don´t worry yourself, son. We will prevail.“  
Jon smiled thightly. He hoped so.   
Ghost licked his fathers hand and nudged against his chest.  
“Ghost, go with father!“, he commanded.

“Jon-“, his father started, clearly trying to reason with him.  
“Please father, it´s safer for you.“, Sansa added, looking at him with her big blue eyes.  
Ned sighed and then nodded, patting the direwolfs head. If it would make them happy.  
“I will see you soon, son. Try not to fall from the dragon“   
Jon laughed. A rare sight. 

Ned Stark climbed back on his horse.  
He positioned himself infront of the giant army. He looked even taller and broader on his massive white horse with the white direwolf beside him.   
An image of power. A true leader.  
His voice was loud and strong:

“ I see in your eyes the same fear that i feel in my heart.  
We know the enemy is approaching. Soon now, we will meet them face-to-face in the field. When we stand together no invaders shall pass.   
Let them come with their armies of dead, they will not pass!

And when this day of battle is over, we will meet again on the field of victory.   
By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the North, Riders of the Vale, Dothraki!

Death is the enemy. The biggest and the last enemy.  
We will not be defeated. We will fight!  
We fight for our Children, our Children´s childrens and their children.  
They will know a better world, a safe world.

We are united in our common interests.  
We will not vanish without a fight, we are going to live on!  
We are going to survive!

Let them see what brave men look like!  
Let them feel our wrath.  
Hold the line!   
Are you with me?“

People began to cheer loudly. Thousands of them.  
Daenerys felt goosebumps rise on her arms and her back.  
So many people with different beliefs, together!

They could hear people shouting.  
“Stark!“  
“Stark!“  
“Stark!“

They loved him.

Ned Stark gave his children one last look, then he gave Daenerys a nod and turned his horse around, a giant army behind him, still cheering for their leader.  
The direwolf never left his side when they rode off into war.

 

Not far away on a hill stood a small group and watched them leave.  
“I didn´t expected them to be ready so soon.“, a man said, struggeling to calm his horse.  
It didn´t know snow and was nervous and afraid.  
Not that he could blame it.  
A snowflake laded on his cheek. He wiped it away with his good hand.

“We must hurry if we want to catch up with them.“, a woman said.  
She was as tall as man, not really a beauty, but with remarkable blue eyes.

Jamie Lannister nodded. Brienne was right. They need to inform Jon Snow that they could not expect help from the bannermen of House Lannister.  
And Brienne and Podrick would return to Winterfell to protect the Stark girls.  
He didn´t know what the Hound or Bronn were planning to do.  
Maybe they would join him when he met with Jon Snow.

But they need to hurry. He could see the boy´s wolf on top of the army, so the rider next to the beast was certainly the Stark boy.  
Winterfell wasn´t that far away anymore, maybe half an hour.

Jamie wouldn´t enter the castle. He would follow the northern army.  
He had no friends inside Winterfell.   
His son has tortured the Stark girl and killed their father.  
He had pushed Brandon Stark from the tower when the boy had saw him with Cersei.  
He would not be welcome there.

But Jon Snow would understand that they needed every help they could get.  
He was sure of that.


	12. A Ghost from the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back with a new chapter.  
> Jamie and Ned will finally meet  
> Hope you enjoy it  
> xxx

Ned Stark stopped his white mare.  
“Let us camp here!“, he shouted and dismounted from his horse.  
It was beginning to get dark and the horses were exhausted.  
They needed rest.

He could see the two other armies anymore.  
They have separated a few hours ago.  
Lord Royce was leading one army and a Dothraki named Qhono the other one.

His leg was aching from the long ride and he tried to hide his limb.  
He couldn´t show weakness.  
His man counted on him and he wouldn´t disappoint them.

Ghost nudged his hand and he patted the wolfs giant head.  
It was still weird for him, seeing the huge direwolf.   
When he had left Winterfell the wolves hadn´t been larger than dogs.  
But now Ghost was almost as big as his horse.  
“Are you hungry, boy?“  
He didn´t made a sound, just stared at him with his red eyes.  
Ghost had been the smallest of his pack when they have found them, but he eventually grew to be larger than his litter mates. He had receives his name from Jon because of his fur color and the fact that he never makes a sound.  
“Go on. Hunt some deer.“  
The wolf turned around and ran into the woods.  
Ned was sure he wouldn´t be gone long.

“He is well trained.“, a voice behind him comment.  
Ned didn´t need to turn around. He would recognize this voice under thousands.  
He had seen Howland Reed standing in the army when they rode off, but he hadn´t had a chance to talk to him.  
The man stepped beside him. He had become old, Ned noticed. And chubby.  
His blond hair was now more grey than blond and his face wrinkled.  
But he was still the man he knew and trusted.  
They hugged eachother and Howland patted him on the shoulder.

“Ay, Jon trained him well.“ Howland was silent for a while and Ned knew exactly what he was thinking. After all he had been there with him. At the tower of joy.  
“He knows. He knows the truth about his mother.“

“How did he take it?“  
Ned shrugged. “I don´t know. I don´t think he hates me, so that is a start“  
Howland chuckled. He had met the boy when he had been no older than ten and Jon had admired his father. He was his hero.  
There was no way the boy would now think different about the man who raised him.  
“How could he? You are difficult to hate, you with your honor and sence of duty“

Ned signed tired. Speaking of his children only made him worry more.  
“Let us go and help feed the horses.“  
He grabbed the reins and led his horse to the others.  
She was a young beautiful white mare, not unlike the horse he took to King´s Landing.  
Just one day after he had woken up he had went to the stable to pick a horse for the war  
He had chosen her immeadiately after he first laid eyes on her.  
Young, fast, unafraid and eager to learn.  
Sansa had helped him pick a name for her.   
Silver  
It really suits her.

He removed the saddle and the snaffle and Silver joined the other horse by the feeding trough.  
“You should get rest, Ned.“, Howard´s voice was calm and even.  
“A douzen soldiers will stand guard and inform you if they spot the wights or a dragon.“  
He knew Ned better than most and he could see how tired the man really was.  
The long ride had exhausted him and Howland could see he was limping, even though he had tried to hide it.  
Ned nodded. He knew Howland Reed was right. He needed sleep.

He bid goodnight to the soldiers and went into the tent his men had set up for him.  
It was only a little bit warmer than outside, but the cold had never bothered him.  
He took of his boots and his armor and sat down on the bed.

His leg was red and swollen.   
The skin itself had healed, leaving a big ugly scar.  
But everytime he stood to long it started to pain.

He could hear his men talking outside and the sound of hooves rattling.  
He had left his tent open, so that Ghost would find his way inside.  
Ned slipped under the furs and fell asleep almost immediately.

 

 

 

Jamie Lannister was standing behind a tree, carefully observing the soldiers around the fire. The rest of the army was already asleep in hundreds of tents.  
The soldiers still awake were young lads, not older than twenty.  
“I heard he can transform into a wolf if he wants to.“, one of them whispered.

Bronn snorted next to Jamie.  
He hadn´t talked to Jon Snow yet, but he was sure the boy could not transform into a wolf. Just like Jamie Lannister could not transform into a golden lion.

“Don´t be stupid, Derek.“, another man said. “He is human, not a wolf!“  
Derek shook his head. “And what about the wolf? The beast with the red eyes.  
I heard wolfs only follow their Alpha wolf!“

“He is their Alpha, but that doesn´t mean he can transform into a wolf, but he has wolf´s blood, that is for sure.“, the third man stated.  
They were silent for a while, only the sound of the fire crackling could be heard.

“He has a mean face.“, Derek´s voice was so faint Jamie and Bronn almost didn´t understand him.   
Jamie knew exactly what the boy meant. Jon Snow had his father´s face.   
The Stark face. Long and pale.  
He had never seen any of them smile.  
The other two laughed loudly.  
“He is not mean, Derek.“, one of them said, clapping the boy on the shoulder.  
“But after all that happened to his family, to him-  
You can´t expect him to walk around and pretend to be happy.“

He was right, Jamie thought. What happened to the Stark´s had been a terrible crime.  
His father, Eddard Stark, beheaded because he had found out the truth.  
His father´s wife, Catelyn Stark, butchered at the Red Wedding along with his brother, Robb Stark, the young wolf.  
His youngest brother, Rickon Stark, killed by the Bolton Bastard.  
And Brandon Stark, pushed out of a window by no one than himself.

Jamie let his eyes wander around the camp.  
He spotted a tent, bigger than the others, with two large Stark banners.  
Infront of the entry sat two Stark soldiers. Asleep.

The boy really needed better guards.  
“Come!“, he told Bronn and disappeared without waiting for an answer.  
Bronn followed him reluctantly.  
The Hound had followed Brienne and Podrick to Winterfell and right now he regretted his decision to follow Jamie fucking Lannister.  
But until he got what he had been promised he wouldn´t let Jamie die.

The guards were sleeping so deep, it was easy to get inside the tent.  
Inside it was dark, a single candle was burning to illuminate the tent.  
Jamie could see the bed in the corner of the tent.

Jon Snow had turned his back towards Bronn and Jamie.  
He was covered by one single fur blanket.  
These damn northerners never seemed to get cold.

Just when Jamie stepped closer he realized something was odd.  
The man in the bed seemed far to muscular and broad to be Jon Snow.  
His dark hair was beginning to grey.  
He could see the scars on the back. So many scars.

This was not the body of a boy.   
No, this was a grown man, a experienced soldier, who had fought many battles.  
And had survived all of them so far.

Bronn´s hand on his shoulder let him flinch.  
“I think we have a problem.“, the man whispered in his ear, pointing at something behind Jamie.

Something was blocking the entry.  
Red eyes glowed in the dark.  
The beast didn´t made a sound.

“Oh god“, Jamie was sure his voice was trembling.  
He had met Robb Stark´s direwolf when he had been the boy´s prisoner  
Greywind had been terrifying with his smoke grey fur and yellow eyes.  
He had killed to many men to fear them.  
But appearently Jon Snow´s wolf was way bigger.  
The wolf was almost as large as a full grown horse.

Nobody moved, nobody made a sound.  
Jamie and Bronn just stood there, careful not to provoke the beast.  
Jamie could feel his heart pounding fast and loud.  
His hands felt sweaty.

The direwolf came closer, slowly, never taking his haunting eyes of his prey.  
The candle illuminated his thick white fur and a bushy tail.   
An albino wolf, Jamie noticed.

He growled and revealed his bloodstained teeths. The fur around his mouth was red.  
Jamie only hoped that the blood belonged to some deer and not to one of the soldiers.  
The wolf began to howl.   
His voice echoed through the camp.

Before he could react Jamie felt a cold knife on his throat.  
Just a second later a douzen guards stormed in, their swords already drawn.  
“Don´t!“, he looked Bronn straight in the eye, careful not to move,   
so that the knife didn´t pierced his skin.  
A disgruntled Bronn let the dagger fall to the ground and raised his hands in surrender.

“Good choice!“, one of the soldiers said and kickedthe dagger out of reach.  
“Are you fine, my Lord?“, he asked the man holding his knife to Jamies throat.  
Jamie couldn´t see his face, but he was sure it was the same man he had mistaken for Jon Snow.

“I´m fine, thank you.“, he answered calmly.  
Jamies heart missed a beat. He knew that voice.  
He would recognize it under a thousand others.

This emotionless voice, cold and stiff like ice.

But that couldn´t be true. He was dead!  
Joffrey had chopped his head off years ago.

The cold knife disappeared from his throat and Jamie turned around to look at the man.  
He stumpled backwards.

NO  
He was dead. He must be dreaming.  
He had to be a ghost.  
But Jamie had never believed in such things

“Don´t look so surprised, Lannister.“ Ned Stark said, his voice cold, but calm.  
He didn´t look any day older than on the day Jamie had last seen him.  
He was completly shirtless, but didn´t seemed boathered by the cold.  
“But i would like to know what you are doing here!“


	13. Conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m back again :)  
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter  
> xxx

Jamie stared at the man, his mouth wide open, but not a single word came out of it  
He had seen some crazy things, but he had never saw a dead man before.  
“I don´t understand-“, he stammered.  
“But you are-“, he stopped, staring at the man in disbelieve

“Dead?“, grumbled Ned Stark angrily. “Yes, i have been dead for quite a while, because your bastard son decided to remove my head from my shoulders“  
“Excuse me“, Bronn interrupted the two, seeming rather umimpressed by a very much alive Ned Stark or his soldiers.  
“I didnt grew up in a fancy castle and had people teach me stuff about other houses, so how the hell are you?“

“You should show him some respect!“, growled one of the soldiers furious, he was a young lad, ready to defend his liegelord.  
“He is Lord Eddard Stark, the head of House Stark, the Lord of Winterfell, Lord Paramount and Warden of the North and our Liegelord! He was Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon, he-“

“Jussi, please.“, Ned Stark´s voice was gentle and calm.  
Jamie had never heard the man speak in that way to anyone but his wife or childrens.  
Jussi, who couldn´t be older than twenty looked to the floor, clearly ashamed about his outburst. He somehow reminded Jamie of the captain of Stark´s guards back in Kingslanding, with his shoulderlong brown hair.  
What had been his name?  
Jorah? Jory?  
He couldn´t remember

“Please forgive me my Lord“  
“There is nothing to forgive, Jussi“,  
he put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a kind smile.  
Jussi was a good lad. Not much older than his own children.  
Certainly to young for a war, but they had no other choice.  
And Eddard himself had been only twenty too when he rode off with Robert Baratheon.

Ned Stark turned to his soldiers, which still pointed their swords at Jamie and Bronn.  
“Please wait outside the tent. Jussi, Leevi: You will stay here with me“  
The guards nodded and left the tent, not without sending Jamie a mistrustful glance.  
Jussi and Leevi, a Stark soldier not much older than Leevi with dark hair and a trimmed beard, positioned themself on Stark´s right and left side.  
Jamie didn´t doubt they would defend Lord Stark until their last breath.  
But he wasn´t here to fight the man!

He took a shaky breath.  
“Lord Stark, i am sorry about what happened to you and your family. I-„

“Don´t you dare!“, Stark hissed, his grey ice cold like ice.  
The white direwolf growled next to him, his glowing red eyes still focused on the invaders  
Ned Stark took a step forward, the wolf followed him and it took all of Jamies willpower not to take a step backwards.  
Jamie was as large as Eddard Stark, but he suddently felt way smaller.

“You pushed my son, Bran, out of the window because he saw you with the Queen.  
You killed my men in the streets of fleabottom.  
You put a dagger through Jory Cassel´s eye“

Jory.  
That had been his name.

“Your bastard son tormented my oldest daughter, Sansa.  
He beat her, he humiliated her.  
Your family conspired with the Frey´s and the Bolton´s to murder my wife and my oldest son during the wedding of my brother in law Edmure.  
Do you know what they did to them?“

Jamie couldn´t answer. He couldn´t look the man in the eye.  
He knew exactly what they had done to Stark´s wife and his son.  
Joffrey had loved to hear the story again and again.

“I was told they cut my wife´s throat to the bone and trew her in the river.  
They chopped off my son´s head and sewed his direwolf´s head on his body and put a crown on his head!“, his voice trembled slightly and he could see the pain in his face.

“And my daughter-“ he stopped and took a deep breath.  
“Arya had to see her brother like that. She arrived just minutes after they have killed her mother and her brother. She was there when they mockingly hailed him King in the North after they had sewed his wolfs head on his body.“  
He grabbed Jamie by his throat, his face just inches away.

“And Sansa, she was there when your son called for my head.  
She was there, when they chopped of my head.  
Sometimes i can still hear her screams, how she begged him to stop.  
And after he killed me-“

Jamie flinched, when he squeezed his throat a little.  
“He took her up at the walls and made her look at my head on a spike, along with her septa´s head and everyone how was at my service.“  
He released Jamies throat and he gasped for air, rubbing the reddened skin.  
“So don´t say you are sorry!“

“What do you want to hear, Stark?“, Jamie almost shouted.  
“Whatever i say or do, it will not give you back your family!  
They are gone!“  
Bronn send him an warning look. Appearently the Lannister brother´s didn´t know when it was the best just to shut up.

And Jamie wasn´t finished yet.  
“But what about my family? My own brother killed my father, because he accused him of the murder of my oldest son.  
Joffrey was poisoned at his own wedding feast, he died in his mother´s arms!“

Ned Stark send him any icy glance, but didn´t interrupted him.  
“Myrcella, my only daughter. She was good, innocent. She died in my arms because someone wanted vengance for the dead of a loved one.  
Tommen, our babyboy. He killed himself because his mother blew up the sept with his beloved wife and her family in it!“

He couldn´t read the expression in Lord Stark´s stoic face.  
He was like ice. Cold, deadly, emotionless.  
Ned was silent for a moment, never taking his eyes of the man infront of him.  
“I´m sorry about Myrcella and Tommen. They were good, decent children.  
They didn´t deserve to die.“  
Just like Robb and Rickon, Ned thought bitterly.

“But you realize who truly took them from you, don´t you?“  
He could see in Jamie Lannister´s eyes that he did.  
“It was your sister´s doing! She made so many enemys, it was only a matter of time until some of them decided to take the thing she loves most from her.  
Tommen may have killed himself, but why?  
Do you think Cersei didn´t know how her boy would react when his own mother killed his wife and thousand of innocent people? She knew it would possibly happen and she didn´t care!“

Jamie swallowed hard. He was right, he knew that now.  
Everybit of love in Cersei was gone. Just like their children.  
She had become cruel, ruthless.  
Mad.

“She is not sending help, even though i gave my word to your son and Daenerys Targaryen“, he hated how his voice was mearly a whsiper.  
“She doesn´t care if the dead kill every Northerner. She just cares about the Iron Throne.  
Euron Greyjoy is on his way to Essos to get the golden Company.  
20.000 men, horses, elephants.  
She will wait until the war in the North is won, either by the living or by the dead and when they march south she will attack“

Eddard Stark suddently seemed much older than his fourthy years.  
He sighed tiredly and sat down on the bed.  
The white wolf sat down next to his feets and nudged his hand.  
“This is madness. If the Dead win and march south they will stand no chance.  
Every person they have killed will march with them, every Dothraki, every Unsullied  
Almost 300.000 corpses on their way to Kingslanding and she thinks she can beat them? We have to stop them here in the north or we are all lost“

Jamie could feel how his heartbeat calmed down.  
Eddard Stark understood the situation they were in.  
“That´s why i am here.“, his voice was calm and smooth.  
“I have no Lannister soldiers with me, there is only Ser Bronn and me.  
But two men more is better than nothing isn´t it?“  
He tried to give Stark a cocky smile, but failed miserably.

He could feel Ned Stark looking at his hand. The one he was missing.  
Yeah, he had to admit he wasn´t one of the best fighters anymore, but he sure knew one or two things about war strategy.

“She will kill you for this if she get the chance, you know that, right?“  
Yes, he knew that. Cersei didn´t take betrayel lightly. She never has.  
Jamie shrugged his shoulders.  
“She can get in line.“


End file.
